Business & Tech
KinderCare Violated Employment Law In MA, To Pay Almost $550K In Settlement
KinderCare failed to provide access to paid sick leave and meal breaks, and also failed to pay employees for all time worked, the AG said.
MASSACHUSETTS — KinderCare, the education-centric childcare business with locations across Massachusetts, has received a number of citations totaling nearly $550,000 in penalties.
Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell announced that the company will pay $543,091 in restitution and civil penalties as part of a settlement relating to KinderCare’s failure to
provide access to paid sick leave and meal breaks, as well as failure to pay employees for all time worked.
“KinderCare demonstrated a pattern of denying their employees access to meal breaks, earned wages, and paid sick time,” said AG Campbell. “My office will continue to hold accountable those who violate our wage and hour laws.”
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KinderCare Learning Centers is an Oregon-based company that operates 62 daycare centers in Massachusetts. The matter was initially referred to the Attorney General's Office by a KinderCare employee, officials said.
An investigation by the AG’s Office revealed that employees at KinderCare’s Massachusetts locations were often unable to take meal breaks due to understaffing.
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Under Massachusetts law, employers must allow employees who are working a shift of more than six hours to take a 30-minute, uninterrupted meal break.
KinderCare was also found to have violated wage laws by deducting breaks that were 20 minutes or less from employees' paychecks. These short breaks are considered compensable time and therefore must be paid, officials said.
Officials said individual center directors were also found to have violated the Massachusetts Earned Sick Time law by restricting employees’ ability to take paid sick leave or imposing extra barriers like doctor’s notes.
Under the law, employees in Massachusetts are entitled to accrue an hour of earned sick time for every 30 hours worked, and employees must be permitted to take job-protected sick leave after 90 days of employment.
In addition, employers can ask for a doctor's note or other documentation only in limited circumstances.
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