In case any employer in NJ thinks the NJ Department of Labor won't exercise its authority to shut down a business that has deprived employees of wages, think again.  This week the NJ DOL has issued stop work orders requiring Boston Market to shut down 27 of its locations in New Jersey for failing to pay more than $600,000 in unpaid wages and $1.2 million in liquidated damages to 314 New Jersey employees. NJDOL has issued 138 stop-work orders since obtaining this power in July 2019.

https://www.nj.gov/labor/lwdhome/press/2023/20230815_stopwork.shtml

 The NJDOL asserts that Boston Market failed to pay NJ employees minimum wage and earned sick leave pay and has issued stop work orders requiring the applicable 27 restaurants in NJ to stay closed until the wages are paid.  The NJ DOL has also imposed $2.5 million in administrative penalties and fines on Boston Market for these violations as well as for late payment of wages, hindrance of NJ DOL's investigation and failure to maintain records of employees' earned sick leave.

Boston Market is challenging the decision and has requested a hearing.