Dunkin' Franchise Operator and Two Staffing Firms to Pay $1.46M for Worker Misclassification and Wage Violations

NewsData.io · United States · Sep 3, 2026

Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell announced a $1.46 million settlement against Dunkin' franchise operator Northern Management Group LLC and staffing firms D&J Services Group and Prime Management Services Corp. for misclassifying workers as independent contractors and failing to pay wages within the state-mandated six-day timeframe. The violations affected 100 workers across more than 20 Dunkin' locations in Eastern Massachusetts between August 2023 and August 2025. Workers were improperly classified as temporary independent contractors despite performing core staffing roles including shift leaders, managers, and bakers. The case underscores ongoing enforcement risk for staffing firms that misclassify placed workers, particularly in states with aggressive wage-and-hour enforcement postures.