NEW Jersey has ordered a popular restaurant chain to close 27 locations.
Boston Market is facing another wave of store closures after New Jersey's Department of Labor (NJDOL) ordered several locations to shut down for good.
The department announced it issued 27 stop-work orders after a nine-month-long investigation that was sparked by complaints from at least 36 employees.
Workers alleged Boston Market failed to pay minimum wage, to pay earned sick leave, and to maintain records for earned sick leave.
The company was also fined nearly $2.6million in back wages, liquidated damages, and administrative damages.
“With restaurants across the country, Boston Market needs to set a better example for fair treatment of its workers,” said Joseph Petrecca, assistant commissioner of NJDOL’s Division of Wage and Hour and Contract Compliance, in the statement.
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The NJDOL said it is monitoring the locations with stop-work orders, saying that the order could be “lifted if and when any remaining back wages and penalties have been paid and all related issues have been resolved."
The locations affected in New Jersey are:
- 491 Ridge Rd, North Arlington, NJ 07031
- 314 Essex Street, Lodi, NJ 07644
- 180 Hackensack Avenue, Hackensack, NJ 07602
- 21-20 Broadway, Fair Lawn, NJ 07410
- 321 Broad Street, Ridgefield, NJ 07657
- 20 Wycoff Avenue, Waldwick, NJ 07463
- 395 NJ-17, Mahwah, NJ 07430
- 175 Kinderkamack Road, Emerson, NJ 07630
- 275 Livingston Street, North Vale, NJ 07647
- 471 Central Avenue, East Orange, NJ 07018
- 247 NJ-10 East, Succasunna, NJ 07876
- 332 Route 10 West, East Hanover, NJ 07936
- 1160 US-46, Clifton, NJ 07013
- 1342 Clifton Avenue, Clifton, NJ 07012
- 523 Chestnut Street Union, NJ 07083
- 770 Route 33, Hamilton, NJ 08619
- 1729 N. Olden Avenue, Ewing Township, NJ 08638
- 300 Rt-18, East Brunswick, NJ 08816
- 878 US Rt. 1 North Bound, Edison, NJ 08817
- 1560 St. Georges Avenue, Avenel, NJ 07001
- 4159 US 9, Howell, NJ 07731
- 1103 Broad Street, Shrewsbury, NJ 07702
- 900 Easton Avenue #165, Somerset, NJ 08873
- 514 High Street, Mt. Holly, NJ 08060
- 5716 Blackhorse Pike, Blackwood, NJ 08012
- 891 Hurffville Road, Woodbury, NJ 08096
- 301 S. Main Road, Vineland, NJ 08360
The U.S. Sun reached out to Boston Market for more information on these closings.
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WINDING DOWN
This comes after Boston Market shuttered stores in Buffalo, New York, and Ocala, Florida.
At the Ocala store, located about 40 miles south of Gainesville, a sign posted on the front door read: "Due to supply chain shortages, we only have a limited menu for today. Please ask our team for availability at the time," Ocala News reports.
That didn't last long before the location was boarded up for good.
Employees said they hadn't been paid in the month leading up to the closure, and they haven't been given a reason as to why.
"We are trying to reach out to the owners, but they are not answering. No emails. No calls," one anonymous employee told the outlet.
In the last several months, Boston Market has also seen stores close in Howell, Massachusetts; Roseville, California; and Toms River, New Jersey.
In 2019, Boston Market shuttered 45 locations, followed by an additional 40 stores in 2020, and 12 more in 2021.
The chain once had more than 1,000 locations across the country, but that number has dwindled to about 300.
THE BEGINNING OF THE END?
Boston Market's troubles began way back in 1998 when the chain initially filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
McDonald’s ended up buying the company and saw it as a way to grow its real estate and meet consumer demand for homestyle-cooked meals.
After a slew of closures in 2019, Boston Market tried to pump some life back into the business.
“We must take steps to ensure our operational structure will support long-term sustainability,” chief executive officer Frances Allen said in a letter to employees back in 2019.
“Part of that effort involves continuously analyzing our geographic footprint and real estate portfolio to assess the ongoing viability of locations.”
“It’s not enough to simply keep pace,” Allen continued. “We need to actively drive evolution and change—and that’s been a major focus.”
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One of Boston Market's competitors is also facing store closures.
Plus, see which Subway location abruptly closed leaving customers hungry.
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