Hey there! So my 15 year old daughter just got fired from her job at a popular icecream restaurant. The manager fired her for not being able to work shifts that she had told her in advance she couldn't work, and also because she couldn't work after her volleyball practices at 730 pm. In Massachusetts it is illegal for a minor to work past 7pm after labor day. I penned a response to this woman's awful texts and termination she sent to my daughter, wondering if I should send it or just report them to the department of labor.
Here's my letter
To whom it may concern,
It has just been brought to my attention you have terminated the employment of my daughter whom is a minor. I am going to formally request that you mail her last paycheck out to our home. I have also reviewed and gotten copies of all your conversations with her. I have also kept a record of all her shifts.
I made a point to say that she is a minor because there may be a few things you are unaware of. You are in direct violation of Massachusetts child labor laws. You have broke several of them during my daughter's employment, and now due to her retaliatory termination these facts have come to my attention. You employed my daughter without a working permit – illegal. You had my 15 year old daughter working past 9pm before labor day – illegal. You had my daughter working past 7pm after labor day – illegal. You terminated my daughters employment because she could not work past 7pm after labor day – illegal ( this is called a retaliatory termination and is absolutely in violation of Massachusetts state labor laws). Taking part of the tips from the girls serving people at the window without serving anyone yourself – tip theft – illegal.
Not only did you wrongfully and illegally terminate her employment but you decided to try and humiliate and berate a teenage girl. Allow me to tell you that YOU as a manager and employer should be more knowledgeable on labor laws that you are violating. It is not and never was my daughters responsibility to find coverage for any shifts you were scheduling her to ILLEGALY work.
Please send her paycheck to our residence at your earliest convenience. If you do not, you will be in violation of yet another Massachusetts state and child labor law – withholding of wages – illegal.
I have not yet decided whether to formally file a complaint with the Massachusetts department of labor, and with [redacted] corperate human resources. I strongly advise you to educate yourself on the laws under which you must abide by if you continue to have a management position because you have opened up your employer to several legal issues. Again I have not decided whether to formally bring these charges against you, I will be expecting my childs paycheck to be sent out promptly.
Ps I have attached the Massachusetts state child labor laws so you can become aware of the laws which you have broken.
https://www.mass.gov/info-details/work-hours-restrictions-for-minors
https://www.mass.gov/info-details/protections-against-retaliation
https://www.mass.gov/info-details/workers-right-to-sue
Let me know if this looks OK or what you think I should do. Thanks guys.