The Attorney General’s Office (AGO) today announced that it has reached a settlement with a Westwood-based security firm, Northeast Security, Inc. (NSI), and its President, John A. Hennessey, resolving allegations that the company violated state employment laws pertaining to wage payments and earned sick time. As part of the settlement, NSI has agreed to pay over $583,000, including restitution for more than 3,000 impacted workers and state penalties.  

The AGO found that in violation of the state’s Wage Act, NSI unlawfully deducted deposits for employee uniforms from workers’ paychecks without obtaining required waivers from the Department of Labor Standards (DLS). Under the Wage Act, employers must make timely wage payments within six or seven days after the end of a pay period and may not withhold wages unless required or permitted by law or authorized by the employee for their own benefit. While employers may apply for an annual waiver from DLS, in order to be permitted to deduct deposits for uniforms from their employees, the AGO found that NSI did not have any such waivers.