Brookline Man Cited For Violating Wage, Domestic Worker Laws

Brookline MA

31 January, 2022

3:23 PM

Description

BROOKLINE, MA — A Brookline man has been cited for violating the state's wage and hour, overtime, and domestic worker laws, said Attorney General Maura Healey in a news release Monday. Amit Kanodia was issued seven citations totaling nearly $27,000 for failure to pay the state minimum wage and overtime wages, make timely payment of wages, provide Earned Sick Time, keep true and accurate payroll records, furnish true and accurate payroll records to the AG's Office, and for failing to comply with Massachusetts Domestic Workers Bill of Rights in connection with his employment of a live-in domestic worker who worked more than 18-hours a day caring for Kanodia's parents and cleaning his home. "Domestic workers provide essential services to many families and individuals in Massachusetts, and they have rights and protections under the law," said Healey in a statement. "My office will continue to advocate for domestic workers, take action against efforts to exploit their work, and ensure they are being paid the wages they are owed." The AG's Fair Labor Division began investigating Kanodia in 2021, following a wage complaint received by the worker, who moved to Brookline from Texas to work for him, said Healey. Once in Massachusetts, the worker was subjected to long hours of work doing various house chores and caretaking, for which she was significantly underpaid. In some instances, the worker was even instructed to utilize her wages to purchase groceries for the household. The AG's Office also alleges that the worker was terminated after requesting time off. Separately, Kanodia was previously sued by the AG's Office for allegedly abandoning a protected agricultural land in Sandwich known as Windstar Farm. He and his two real estate companies later settled and agreed to clean up, maintain, and restore the property. The Domestic Workers Bill of Rights regulates working and rest time, charges for food and lodging, and circumstances around termination for domestic workers in Massachusetts, regardless of immigration status. The law requires employers to make and keep records of the hours worked by any domestic worker and provides guidelines for work evaluations and written employment agreements. Workers who believe that their rights have been violated in their workplace can call the AG's Fair Labor Hotline at 617-727-3465. More information about the state's wage and hour laws is also available here.