Dive Brief:
- The New Jersey Department of Labor lifted its stop-work order against 27 Boston Market locations last week, after the chain paid $630,000 in unpaid wages to 314 employees, according to a press release issued Thursday.
- The struggling chain has faced suits and complaints from workers and vendors across the country left unpaid in recent months.
- It’s unclear how many of the chain’s units have reopened in New Jersey, or how long it will take the remainder to reopen.
Dive Insight:
Restaurant Dive contacted several of the chain’s locations in New Jersey. Multiple stores did not answer the phone and were listed on Boston Market’s website as not accepting online orders or offering pickup. At least two of the chain’s restaurants confirmed by phone that they have reopened. An employee, who declined to give a name, said the chain was working to reopen its units, but that some remained closed as of Tuesday. The employee had no clear timeline on the reopening of those units.
Neither Boston Market nor the New Jersey DOL responded immediately to requests for comment on the number of stores reopened.
The state DOL said that Boston Market had repaid back wages, about $2,000 per worker, following the stop-work orders.
“We got all the wages — between us about $15,000. The owner really took notice when the Department of Labor got involved,” Cathy Grimes, who managed a Boston Market with about 12 workers in New Jersey, said in a statement.
“We’re glad this investigation resulted in every dollar making it into the pockets of those who earned the money. Hopefully this action puts other bad actors on notice: If you don't pay your workers, we will shut you down,” New Jersey Labor Commissioner Robert Asaro-Angelo said in the press release.
Boston Market has struggled since it was acquired by Jay Pandya, a restaurant franchisee with a long history of conflict with lenders, employees and national brands, according to Restaurant Business.
