The former owner of a Woburn, Massachusetts restaurant has been arraigned for allegedly violating the Commonwealth’s wage and hour laws, Attorney General Martha Coakley announced.
Lynne A. Howell, 50, of Woburn, former owner of La Stanza Diva Ristorante, was arraigned on charges of Failure to Pay Wages (3 counts), and Failure to Provide Suitable Pay Stub Record (3 counts).
According to authorities, Howell failed to pay three of her employees’ wages for work they performed at the restaurant and failed to provide the three employees with pay stubs.
The Attorney General’s Office began an investigation in March of 2009, after a former employee filed a nonpayment of wage complaint with the Fair Labor Division. In August 2009, the Fair Labor Division issued a civil citation against Howell and La Stanza Diva Ristorante for failure to pay timely wages in the amount of $1,650 and a penalty in the amount of $500. A penalty for failure to produce records for inspection in the amount of $1,000 was also assessed.
While the citation was under appeal by Howell, the Fair Labor Division received complaints from two additional employees in November 2009, alleging that Howell failed to pay them their wages.
Under Massachusetts law, employers must pay employees within six days of the termination of the pay period. Employers must provide a pay stub with proper information, including rates of pay and legal deductions.
Howell was arraigned recently in Woburn District Court at which time she pleaded not guilty and was released on personal recognizance. Howell is due back in court on Dec. 16, for a pre-trial hearing.
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