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AG Campbell Releases Annual Labor Day Report Spotlighting Actions To Protect Massachusetts Workers
BOSTON, Massachusetts, Sept. 6 -- Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell issued the following news release:
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AG Campbell Releases Annual Labor Day Report Spotlighting Actions To Protect Massachusetts Workers
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BOSTON -Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell today released the Attorney General's Office (AGO)'s annual Labor Day Report, spotlighting the AGO's dedicated efforts to protect the rights of Massachusetts workers and ensure access to fair pay, benefits, and safe working conditions for all.
"While decisions by the federal government create new uncertainty
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BOSTON, Massachusetts, Sept. 6 -- Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell issued the following news release:
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AG Campbell Releases Annual Labor Day Report Spotlighting Actions To Protect Massachusetts Workers
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BOSTON -Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell today released the Attorney General's Office (AGO)'s annual Labor Day Report, spotlighting the AGO's dedicated efforts to protect the rights of Massachusetts workers and ensure access to fair pay, benefits, and safe working conditions for all.
"While decisions by the federal government create new uncertaintyfor workers and families, my office continues to do what it's always done: protect working people," said AG Campbell. "I am proud to release this year's Labor Day Report, which highlights the efforts of my office's Fair Labor Division to ensure that workers are paid for every hour they work and receive the minimum wage and overtime they have earned."
FY2026 By the Numbers
In Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26), between July 1, 2025 and June 30, 2026, the AGO's Fair Labor Division (FLD) took 1,292 enforcement actions against 1,183 employers for violating various protections, helping more than 16,410 workers and assessing nearly $12.7 million in restitution for unpaid wages and penalties.
The construction industry faced the highest rate of enforcement actions (20%), followed by restaurants/hotels (19.5%), healthcare (8%), landscaping/snow removal (6.3%), and cleaning/janitorial (5.6%). Failure to Make Timely Payments was the most common type of violation (474 citations).
Fighting Exploitation in the Construction Industry
In FY26, FLD assessed more than $2.5 million in restitution and penalties related to investigations in the construction industry, entitling over 1,300 employees to restitution payments.
One such enforcement action involved a complaint against Master Millwork - a West Wareham company that specializes in the manufacturing and installation of custom cabinets and millwork - alleging that the company was not paying workers properly. FLD's investigation revealed that the company failed to properly pay overtime and misclassified workers as independent contractors. As a result of the investigation, Master Millwork agreed to pay more than $280,000 in restitution and penalties.
In addition to enforcement, FLD continues to utilize a dedicated, multilingual investigative team to conduct unannounced compliance visits to active construction sites throughout the Commonwealth with the goal of ensuring a continuous and supportive presence in the field. This field team visited 37 construction sites in FY26, successfully engaging over 160 employers and nearly 400 workers to provide direct guidance on state wage and hour laws.
Following a visit by FLD's Construction Field Team to a construction worksite, FLD conducted a full investigation and issued five citations totaling more than $218,000 to Donizetti's Tile Services, Inc. for failure to pay overtime, failure to furnish pay slips, misclassifying employees as independent contractors, failure to permit employees to earn and use sick time, and failure to keep true and accurate payroll records.
Combatting Independent Contractor Misclassification
Addressing worker misclassification remains one of the AGO's highest enforcement priorities. Misclassification occurs when companies improperly classify workers as independent contractors, as opposed to employees. Misclassification by non-compliant employers strips workers of their rights as employees and denies basic workplace rights, including guaranteed minimum wage, overtime pay, timely compensation, accrued sick leave, employer retaliation protections, and essential benefits. In FY26, FLD took action against nearly 60 employers who misclassified approximately 1,500 workers, totaling more than $2.1 million in restitution and penalties.
As part of the ongoing efforts to address worker misclassification, FLD reached a settlement with online grocery-delivery company Weee! to resolve allegations that the company violated Massachusetts independent contractor and earned sick time laws. As part of the settlement, Weee! paid more than $865,000 in citations, including restitution for over 160 impacted workers and penalties.
In another matter, FLD issued citations totaling nearly $420,000 against Beverly-based cleaning/janitorial company Advanced Maintenance Solutions, Inc. regarding allegations that the company failed to pay overtime, failed to comply with the state's earned sick time law, and misclassified employees as independent contractors.
Protecting and Empowering Restaurant Workers
In FY26, FLD issued nearly 400 citations and assessed almost $2.5 million in restitution and penalties involving the restaurant and hospitality sectors. This enforcement effort impacted over 3,400 workers in these industries, particularly workers who rely on customers' tips to earn at least the minimum wage.
One such enforcement action involved Carrie Nation and The Dubliner, two restaurants located in Boston's Beacon Hill neighborhood. After receiving a complaint that the businesses failed to remit the total proceeds of service charges to service employees, FLD investigated and ultimately cited the employers for tips violations. As a result of the citations, the employers paid a total of $422,000 in restitution and penalties.
Community Engagement and Education
FLD, along with the AGO's Community Engagement Division, recently marked the 10-year anniversary of the Wage Theft Clinic, which helps connect workers who have wage issues and need free legal advice to community legal aid partners and private attorneys. Throughout the clinic's run, workers and their advocates have reported $2.4 million in recovered wages, however the actual figure is likely much higher.
During FY26, the AGO hosted or participated in 98 worker- and employer-focused community engagement events, and performed 141 worksite visits. These efforts showcase the AGO's commitment to not just enforcement, but to providing resources and education to help protect the rights of workers and ensure employers' compliance with state laws.
The AGO's Fair Labor Division and Relevant Resources
The AGO's Fair Labor Division consists of attorneys, investigators, intake and support staff. The Division enforces state laws regulating the payment of wages, including minimum wage, overtime, prevailing wage, child labor, earned sick leave, and labor trafficking. It also protects employees from exploitation and wage theft through strong partnerships and community education.
The AGO is committed to protecting the rights of all workers, including immigrant workers, who are disproportionately subjected to illegal employment practices, such as wage theft. The AGO encourages workers and employers to review the AGO's Advisory on the Rights of Immigrant Workers, which affirms that all workers, regardless of their immigration status, are entitled to employment protections, including the right to a fair wage, protection from retaliation, classification as an employee, and freedom from sexual harassment and discrimination in the workplace.
In accordance with state and federal law, the AGO works to serve and protect all workers, without regard to immigration status, does not ask about workers' immigration status, and does not voluntarily provide workers' personal information to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Workers in Massachusetts who believe their workplace rights have been violated are encouraged to file a complaint with the AGO's Fair Labor Division at mass.gov/ago/fld. For more information about the state's employment laws, workers may call the AGO's Fair Labor Hotline at (617) 727-3465 or visit mass.gov/ago/fairlabor for information available in multiple languages.
* Office of the Attorney General
The Attorney General is the chief lawyer and law enforcement officer of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
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Original text here: https://www.mass.gov/news/ag-campbell-releases-annual-labor-day-report-spotlighting-actions-to-protect-massachusetts-workers-0
N.M. A.G. Torrez Files Responses Backing Emergency Petitions Challenging Project Jupiter Permitting Decisions
SANTA FE, New Mexico, Sept. 4 -- New Mexico Attorney General Raul Torrez issued the following news release on Sept. 3, 2026:
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Attorney General Raul Torrez Files Responses Backing Emergency Petitions Challenging Project Jupiter Permitting Decisions
Santa Fe, NM -- New Mexico Attorney General Raul Torrez announced today that the New Mexico Department of Justice office has filed responses in support of two emergency petitions pending before the New Mexico Supreme Court, arguing that state agencies cut corners on legally required process to accommodate Project Jupiter, a large-scale artificial
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SANTA FE, New Mexico, Sept. 4 -- New Mexico Attorney General Raul Torrez issued the following news release on Sept. 3, 2026:
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Attorney General Raul Torrez Files Responses Backing Emergency Petitions Challenging Project Jupiter Permitting Decisions
Santa Fe, NM -- New Mexico Attorney General Raul Torrez announced today that the New Mexico Department of Justice office has filed responses in support of two emergency petitions pending before the New Mexico Supreme Court, arguing that state agencies cut corners on legally required process to accommodate Project Jupiter, a large-scale artificialintelligence data center development in Dona Ana County anchored by Oracle Corporation.
"The same rules must apply to everyone," said Attorney General Raul Torrez. "Whether you're a family defending a water right or a global corporation with money and political clout. Notice and a fair hearing exist to protect the public, and bending those rules for a powerful applicant undermines public trust, regardless of the outcome. My office will keep using every tool available to make sure state agencies follow the law and answer to the people they serve."
Water Case: Center for Biological Diversity v. Anderson (No. S-1-SC-41580)
The NMDOJ is filing a response in support of an emergency writ of mandamus against State Engineer Elizabeth Anderson. The petition challenges the Office of the State Engineer's (OSE) two-day approval of an application that allowed Santa Teresa Capital, LLC to repurpose an existing agricultural well, without the notice and hearing New Mexico law requires, to supply construction water for Project Jupiter.
The NMDOJ's filing argues that:
* The Water Code's narrow emergency exception, NMSA 1978, Sec. 72-12-22, applies only to a genuine emergency threatening crop loss or serious economic loss to an existing use. It does not authorize the State Engineer to approve, without notice and hearing, a change in the purpose and location of use to supply an unrelated construction project.
* OSE ignored its own guidance on what qualifies as a genuine "emergency" and disregarded prior hearing decisions rejecting similar claims of economic loss.
* OSE has failed to schedule a hearing on petitioner's timely protest, filed January 9, 2026, for nearly ten months, denying petitioner any hearing while a totalizing meter shows the well has pumped more than 100 million gallons of groundwater from the Lower Rio Grande Basin, an area already facing severe drought and subject to New Mexico's Rio Grande Compact obligations to Texas.
Air Case: New Energy Economy v. Kenney (No. S-1-SC-41579)
The NMDOJ is filing a response in support of an emergency request to stay and for prohibitory mandamus in a New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) air quality permitting matter for Project Jupiter's proposed power plant: 2,275 methane-fueled fuel cells that would generate 2.46 gigawatts of electricity, an unprecedented concentration of this technology anywhere in the world.
The NMDOJ's filing argues that:
* On July 15, 2026, the NMED Hearing Officer set an October 19, 2026 hearing date and, on July 27, rejected the applicant's request to accelerate it, citing the case's complexity and due process concerns.
* Just two days later, on July 29, the Hearing Officer reversed course without explanation, moving the hearing to September 14 and advancing the deadline for technical evidence and expert testimony by nearly 40 days, from October 1 to August 24.
* On August 12, the Hearing Officer further denied discovery entirely, less than two weeks before that evidence was due, and when the administrative record would not be produced until August 24, the very day parties needed it to prepare their case.
* Nothing in the Air Quality Control Act required this compressed timeline: NMSA 1978, Sec. 74-2-7(B)(3) allows NMED to extend its own permitting deadlines for good cause, meaning no statutory deadline justified eliminating discovery and due process protections for the parties challenging the permit.
Copies of both filings are below:
State Response - CBD v. Anderson 2026.09.02 (https://nmdoj.gov/wp-content/uploads/State-Response-CBD-v.-Anderson-2026.09.02.pdf)
S-1-SC-41759 State of New Mexico Response (https://nmdoj.gov/wp-content/uploads/S-1-SC-41759-State-of-New-Mexico-Response.pdf)
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Original text here: https://nmdoj.gov/press-release/attorney-general-raul-torrez-files-responses-backing-emergency-petitions-challenging-project-jupiter-permitting-decisions/
Attorney General McCuskey Warns consumers of new scam tactics Targeting West Virginians
CHARLESTON, West Virginia, Sept. 4 -- West Virginia Attorney General John B. McCuskey posted the following news release:
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Attorney General McCuskey Warns consumers of new scam tactics Targeting West Virginians
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Consumer Protection Division received 401 scam reports in August, including new impersonation and video-call sweepstakes schemes
The West Virginia Attorney General JB McCuskey is reporting that the Consumer Protection Division received 401 reports of scams in August, with Medicare scams topping the list. The Consumer Protection Division is also warning consumers about two newly
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CHARLESTON, West Virginia, Sept. 4 -- West Virginia Attorney General John B. McCuskey posted the following news release:
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Attorney General McCuskey Warns consumers of new scam tactics Targeting West Virginians
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Consumer Protection Division received 401 scam reports in August, including new impersonation and video-call sweepstakes schemes
The West Virginia Attorney General JB McCuskey is reporting that the Consumer Protection Division received 401 reports of scams in August, with Medicare scams topping the list. The Consumer Protection Division is also warning consumers about two newlyreported scam tactics: scammers impersonating West Virginia state representatives and scammers using video calls to claim consumers have won sweepstakes or lottery prizes.
Of the 401 scam complaints the Consumer Protection Division received in August, the top scams were:
1. Medicare
2. West Virginia state representative impersonation scams
3. Robo Calls (loans, debt relief, final funeral expenses, etc.)
4. Computer/Phishing
5. Sweepstakes and lottery scams
The Consumer Protection Division received reports involving a scammer who claimed to be a representative of the State of West Virginia and offered insurance and other subsidies. One consumer reported receiving approximately 70 calls from the scammer, who used spoofed West Virginia telephone numbers to make the calls appear legitimate. These calls were live rather than automated or robotic. Consumers should remember that scammers can use technology to "spoof" caller ID, making a call appear to come from a familiar or legitimate West Virginia telephone number.
Additionally, the Consumer Protection Division is warning West Virginians about a sweepstakes scam involving video calls. Scammers use What's App, Facetime and other applications with video capabilities. These calls typically come from an email address and numbers are not usually listed. Many consumers who reported this scam did not answer. When consumers have answered, they say the scammer's video screen is black and they cannot see the scammer, but the scammer can see them.
Ways to protect yourself
* Be aware that criminals can "spoof" phone numbers - Your caller ID may show familiar numbers that aren't actually calling
* Be wary of notices of any contest winnings, especially if you didn't enter
* If calls seem suspicious, don't engage with callers; hang up and call back using numbers you have on file
* Keep detailed records - Document all interactions with service providers and financial transaction
* Research before you trust - Verify identities, companies, and claims independently
What not to do
* Don't handle money transfers for strangers - You could unknowingly participate in money laundering
* Never accept or forward packages for online acquaintances - This may involve illegal activity
* Never pay anyone with gift cards - Legitimate companies don't accept gift cards as payment
* Never pay money to claim prizes - Real contests don't require payment
* Never provide personal or financial information over the phone - to unsolicited callers
* Never send money to people you haven't met in person - This includes online romantic interests
You can find out more about scams, ways to protect yourself, and file a scam report at ago.wv.gov. Likewise, you can call our Consumer Protection Hotline and speak with our Scam Coordinator at 1-800-368-8808.
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Original text here: https://ago.wv.gov//article/attorney-general-mccuskey-warns-consumers-new-scam-tactics-targeting-west-virginians
Attorney General Griffin Announces Agenda for Fraud and Consumer Protection Summit September 28-29
LITTLE ROCK, Arkansas, Sept. 4 -- Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin issued the following news release:
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Attorney General Griffin Announces Agenda for Fraud and Consumer Protection Summit September 28-29
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#Griffin: 'Our speakers include national experts, state partners, and members of my team-all committed to protecting Arkansans from fraud'
LITTLE ROCK - Attorney General Tim Griffin today announced the agenda for his upcoming Fraud and Consumer Protection Summit. The event will be held free of charge on Monday, September 28, and Tuesday, September 29, at the Statehouse Convention
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LITTLE ROCK, Arkansas, Sept. 4 -- Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin issued the following news release:
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Attorney General Griffin Announces Agenda for Fraud and Consumer Protection Summit September 28-29
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#Griffin: 'Our speakers include national experts, state partners, and members of my team-all committed to protecting Arkansans from fraud'
LITTLE ROCK - Attorney General Tim Griffin today announced the agenda for his upcoming Fraud and Consumer Protection Summit. The event will be held free of charge on Monday, September 28, and Tuesday, September 29, at the Statehouse ConventionCenter in downtown Little Rock. Griffin issued the following statement:
"This year's summit focuses on how Arkansans can recognize and protect themselves against various forms of fraud. The Summit will include sessions on the growing threat of cryptocurrency scams; how to spot and stop robocalls and fraudulent texts; Arkansas's price-gouging laws; the fight against scams originating overseas; Arkansas's effort to combat Medicaid fraud; how to recognize financial fraud and how we're partnering with financial institutions to prevent it; safeguards against sexual exploitation; and much more.
"Our speakers include national experts, state partners, and members of my team-all committed to protecting Arkansans from fraud."
To view the full agenda and to register for free, click here.
To download a PDF version of this release, click here.
About Attorney General Tim Griffin
Tim Griffin was sworn in as the 57th Attorney General of Arkansas on January 10, 2023, having previously served as the state's 20th Lieutenant Governor from 2015-2023. From 2011-2015, Griffin served as the 24th representative of Arkansas's Second Congressional District, where he served on the House Committee on Ways and Means, House Armed Services Committee, House Committee on Foreign Affairs, House Committee on Ethics and House Committee on the Judiciary while also serving as a Deputy Whip for the Majority.
Griffin is currently an officer in the Arkansas Army National Guard and holds the rank of colonel. Griffin served as an officer in the U.S. Army Reserve Judge Advocate General's (JAG) Corps for more than 28 years. In 2005, Griffin was mobilized to active duty as an Army prosecutor at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, and served with the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) in Mosul, Iraq.
His previous assignments include serving as the Commander of the 2d Legal Operations Detachment in New Orleans, Louisiana; the Commander of the 134th Legal Operations Detachment at Fort Bragg, North Carolina; and as a Senior Legislative Advisor to the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness at the Pentagon. Griffin earned a master's degree in strategic studies as a Distinguished Honor Graduate from the U.S. Army War College, Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania.
Griffin also served as U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, and Special Assistant to the President and Deputy Director of Political Affairs for President George W. Bush; Special Assistant to Assistant Attorney General Michael Chertoff, Criminal Division, U.S. Department of Justice; Special Assistant U.S. Attorney, U.S. Attorney's Office, Eastern District of Arkansas; Senior Investigative Counsel, Government Reform and Oversight Committee, U.S. House of Representatives; and Associate Independent Counsel, Office of Independent Counsel David M. Barrett, In re: HUD Secretary Henry Cisneros.
Griffin is a graduate of Magnolia High School, Hendrix College in Conway, and Tulane Law School in New Orleans. He attended graduate school at Oxford University. He is admitted to practice law in Arkansas (active) and Louisiana (inactive). Griffin lives in Little Rock with his wife, Elizabeth, a Camden native, and their three children.
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Original text here: https://arkansasag.gov/news-release/attorney-general-griffin-announces-agenda-for-fraud-and-consumer-protection-summit-september-28-29/
Attorney General Bonta Publishes Sixth Annual Labor Day Report Spotlighting a Year of Protecting and Empowering Workers
SACRAMENTO, California, Sept. 4 -- California Attorney General Rob Bonta issued the following news release:
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Attorney General Bonta Publishes Sixth Annual Labor Day Report Spotlighting a Year of Protecting and Empowering Workers
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OAKLAND -California Attorney General Rob Bonta today issued the sixth annual Labor Day Report highlighting the California Department of Justice (DOJ)'s ongoing commitment to protecting and enhancing the rights of workers in California and nationwide.
"Labor Day is an opportunity to celebrate the countless workforces whose dedication, tenacity, and passion allow
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SACRAMENTO, California, Sept. 4 -- California Attorney General Rob Bonta issued the following news release:
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Attorney General Bonta Publishes Sixth Annual Labor Day Report Spotlighting a Year of Protecting and Empowering Workers
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OAKLAND -California Attorney General Rob Bonta today issued the sixth annual Labor Day Report highlighting the California Department of Justice (DOJ)'s ongoing commitment to protecting and enhancing the rights of workers in California and nationwide.
"Labor Day is an opportunity to celebrate the countless workforces whose dedication, tenacity, and passion allowbusinesses and communities to grow and thrive in California and beyond," said Attorney General Bonta. "This Labor Day, I reaffirm my commitment to upholding our state's strong legal protections for workers and ensuring all workers receive the fair treatment and compensation they deserve. We will continue to hold bad actors accountable for policies and practices that undermine workers' rights and unlawfully constrain the job market. We will work hard to ensure everyone's hard work remains protected, respected, and rewarded."
This Labor Day -and every day -Attorney General Bonta honors and fights to protect the hard-working individuals who form the backbone of our nation's strength and prosperity. California is proud to have the largest and most diverse economy of any state in the country, which would not be possible without the skilled and steadfast efforts of California's workforce. California has enacted and continues to safeguard some of the most expansive worker protection laws in the nation. California will continue to serve as a pioneer and an example that a state can respect its workers while maintaining a flourishing economy.
This year's Labor Day Report highlights DOJ's accomplishments and ongoing efforts over the past year to empower workers and uphold labor laws in California and across the country. Among other efforts, DOJ has opposed anti-worker, anticompetitive corporate mergers; supported fair treatment for immigrant workers; pushed back against "no-poach" agreements; and challenged the Trump Administration's attempts to undermine the rights of federal employees and farmworkers.
11 Things Workers Should Know About Their Rights:
1. You have the right to organize and join a union.
2. You may be an employee even if you are called an independent contractor.
3. You have several, important wage-and-hour-rights, including the right to a minimum wage.
4. Your wages, tips, and accrued vacation are yours.
5. You may be entitled to time off -including parental leave, both paid and unpaid.
6. You are protected from sexual harassment and discrimination in the workplace, by California law.
7. You may be eligible for unemployment insurance if you are fired or quit your job for good cause.
8. You may be entitled to workers' compensation benefits.
9. You can reasonably refuse to do unsafe work.
10. Your employer cannot retaliate against you for exercising your rights.
11. You have rights as a worker regardless of immigration status.
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Original text here: https://oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/attorney-general-bonta-publishes-sixth-annual-labor-day-report-spotlighting-year
ATTORNEY GENERAL RAOUL HIGHLIGHTS HIS OFFICE'S EFFORTS TO PROTECT WORKERS IN ANNUAL LABOR DAY REPORT
CHICAGO, Illinois, Sept. 4 -- Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul issued the following news release:
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ATTORNEY GENERAL RAOUL HIGHLIGHTS HIS OFFICE'S EFFORTS TO PROTECT WORKERS IN ANNUAL LABOR DAY REPORT
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Chicago - Heading into Labor Day weekend, Attorney General Kwame Raoul highlighted a report detailing actions his office has taken during the past year to advocate for and protect Illinois workers.
The Attorney General's Workplace Rights Bureau was codified in state statute in 2020 and has since launched more than 115 investigations, resulting in the recovery of more than $30 million
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CHICAGO, Illinois, Sept. 4 -- Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul issued the following news release:
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ATTORNEY GENERAL RAOUL HIGHLIGHTS HIS OFFICE'S EFFORTS TO PROTECT WORKERS IN ANNUAL LABOR DAY REPORT
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Chicago - Heading into Labor Day weekend, Attorney General Kwame Raoul highlighted a report detailing actions his office has taken during the past year to advocate for and protect Illinois workers.
The Attorney General's Workplace Rights Bureau was codified in state statute in 2020 and has since launched more than 115 investigations, resulting in the recovery of more than $30 millionin owed wages and restitution for workers and penalties on cases involving wage theft, misclassification, child labor, discrimination, and other violations of Illinois employment laws.
"The dedicated attorneys and staff of my office's Workplace Rights Bureau work every day to uphold and defend Illinois laws, resolve serious and persistent violations of workers' rights, and ensure that law-abiding businesses are not undercut by those that violate the law to gain unfair advantages," Raoul said. "I am committed to continuing to fight for workers' rights, and I encourage anyone with questions or concerns about their workplace to reach out to my office's Workplace Rights Bureau. Our bilingual attorneys and staff are happy to speak to workers about their concerns and provide information and resources to make sure that workers know their rights."
The Workplace Rights Bureau advances the employment rights of all Illinois residents by taking actions, such as investigating labor law violations, collecting owed wages and civil penalties, filing lawsuits to protect Illinois workers, and advocating for stronger legal protections for workers.
This year, Raoul's office led the effort to pass a law that will help ensure the Workplace Rights Bureau has the necessary tools to defend workers' rights and a level playing field for law-abiding businesses. The new statute, which was signed into law in August, clarifies the bureau's jurisdiction, streamlines the subpoena processes to prevent delay tactics and expensive court battles, and grants the bureau investigative tools already in use by other agencies that enforce labor laws.
Raoul's office also works to protect the temporary labor market from anticompetitive schemes. In May 2026, Raoul's Antitrust Bureau and Workplace Rights Bureau announced the last of seven settlements fully resolving a lawsuit against Vee Pak LLC, doing business as Voyant Beauty, and six temporary staffing agencies for engaging in unlawful no-poach agreements. Through this lawsuit filed in 2022, Raoul has secured over $2.5 million in settlements from all defendants and robust injunctive relief to ensure temporary workers are not prevented from seeking or obtaining new job opportunities.
The lawsuit alleged that Vee Pak facilitated an unlawful no-poach conspiracy by the temporary staffing agencies not to recruit, solicit, or hire temporary employees from one another at the Vee Pak worksite in violation of the Illinois Antitrust Act. Under the most recent settlement, Vee Pak has agreed to pay $625,000, which will primarily be used to compensate temporary workers impacted by the no-poach agreement, and change its practices to prevent future violations.
The Workplace Rights Bureau ensures that all employers, regardless of whether they are traditional or gig employers, adhere to the employment laws that govern their operations. In the last year, Raoul has secured settlements from gig staffing agencies that violated Illinois employment laws, underpaid workers and unfairly undercut competitors.
Raoul's Workplace Rights Bureau also holds employers liable for violating the Illinois Child Labor Law of 2024 that protects children aged 15 and younger from dangerous and exploitative employment conditions. Following a 2025 settlement against Hearthside Food Solutions, LLC for $4.5 million in child labor penalties, Raoul is encouraging any employee who was a minor when they worked at Hearthside Food Solutions in Illinois to review the eligibility requirements and file their claims online with the settlement administrator, Atticus Administration, at hearthsidefssettlement.com.
Attorney General Raoul's 2026 Labor Day Report, which is also available in Spanish, highlights the Vee Pak settlement and child labor investigations, along with other recent settlements the office has obtained on behalf of Illinois workers and litigation the office has filed to enforce labor laws and recover wages for workers:
* In July 2026, Raoul announced a $95,000 settlement with a gig staffing agency, GigSmart, which followed a July 2025 settlement with a different gig staffing agency, Wonolo. The companies functioned as temporary staffing agencies but held themselves out as gig companies connecting workers with temporary work at their client companies via their apps. Both companies misclassified most or all of their temporary workers as independent contractors, and as a result, failed to properly pay them. The two settlements allowed more than 3,800 eligible workers to recover unpaid wages and ensured that future temporary workers for the companies will be classified as employees.
* In February 2026, Raoul settled claims that a medical staffing agency, Adelphi Staffing, violated the Illinois Freedom to Work Act when it required Illinois employees to sign non-solicitation agreements. Non-solicitation agreements, which restrict employees from soliciting co-workers or their employer's vendors or clients for employment or business, are prohibited by the Freedom to Work Act unless the employee earns more than $45,000 annually. The company agreed to remove the non-solicitation clause from the agreements.
* In August 2025, Raoul filed a lawsuit against Keystrokes Transcription Service, Inc., Chartnet Technologies Inc., and their common owner for failing to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars in wages to its medical service transcriptionists. Raoul found that Keystrokes hired employees to remotely transcribe medical records and failed to pay their wages for years, while making false promises of pay to keep employees working.
* In November 2025, Raoul filed a lawsuit against a Chicago-based construction company, PMJ Enterprises Inc., alleging the company had misclassified its construction workers as independent contractors, made off-the-books wage payments and failed to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars in overtime wages. The suit seeks to recover all owed wages, statutory damages, interest and penalties, and injunctive relief.
Raoul works with attorneys general offices throughout the country to advocate for workers' rights and hold accountable those that undermine the law, including the federal government. Raoul frequently collaborates with other attorneys general to challenge actions by the Trump Administration that have threatened to roll back worker protections, dismantle worker protection institutions, and harm workers.
In June 2026, Raoul led a coalition of attorneys general in suing the Trump administration to stop an executive order that directs federal agencies to adopt new terms in their contracts prohibiting federal contractors from engaging in "racially discriminatory DEI activities." In their lawsuit, the coalition asserts that the attempt to purge diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility from federal contracting imposes confusing requirements on contractors, including requirements that may depart from antidiscrimination policies contractors have already followed for decades. The terms impose needless costs and threaten to chill lawful efforts to prevent, detect, and remedy unlawful discrimination.
Raoul's Workplace Rights Bureau also comments on proposed regulatory changes, often in collaboration with other state attorneys general. In the past year, Raoul has submitted comment letters opposing a rule proposed by the U.S. Department of Labor to weaken the test used to determine whether a worker is an employee or an independent contractor, a rule proposed by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security that would economically devastate asylum seekers by essentially preventing them from obtaining legal employment, a rule proposed by the U.S. Department of Labor that would weaken protections for agricultural workers, and a rule proposed by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration that would sharply limit employers' liability for hazards in inherently risky professions, leaving many workers in these industries without critical federal safety protections.
Attorney General Raoul encourages workers who wish to file a complaint about an employer's potentially unlawful practices to call the Workplace Rights Hotline at 1-844-740-5076 or visit the Attorney General's website.
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Original text here: https://www.illinoisattorneygeneral.gov/news/story/attorney-general-raoul-highlights-his-offices-efforts-to-protect-workers-in-annual-labor-day-report9.4.26
AG Brown, coalition secure new court order blocking illegal USPS attack on mail-in voting
OLYMPIA, Washington, Sept. 4 -- Washington state Attorney General Nick Brown issued the following news release:
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AG Brown, coalition secure new court order blocking illegal USPS attack on mail-in voting
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Attorney General Nick Brown and a coalition of 25 states have secured a preliminary injunction (PI) blocking illegal efforts by the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) that would have disrupted vote-by-mail systems ahead of the Nov. 3 midterm elections.
The block would last indefinitely while the coalition's lawsuit challenging the rule proceeds. The administration is expected to appeal the
... Show Full Article
OLYMPIA, Washington, Sept. 4 -- Washington state Attorney General Nick Brown issued the following news release:
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AG Brown, coalition secure new court order blocking illegal USPS attack on mail-in voting
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Attorney General Nick Brown and a coalition of 25 states have secured a preliminary injunction (PI) blocking illegal efforts by the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) that would have disrupted vote-by-mail systems ahead of the Nov. 3 midterm elections.
The block would last indefinitely while the coalition's lawsuit challenging the rule proceeds. The administration is expected to appeal theorder.
The order in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts blocks USPS from requiring states to obtain the federal government's approval of new ballot and return-envelope designs, register for a new USPS portal for tracking voter information (which is not yet operational), input information for each of their state's mail voters into the portal, and comply with other provisions.
"As the court previously said, states' compliance with this illegal order would be 'practically impossible' before the November elections given the unprecedented demands it would put on state and local elections officials," Brown said. "The chaos that would cause is exactly what Trump wants. That's why we continue to fight for a fair and properly administered election."
On March 31, President Trump issued an executive order directing the U.S. Postal Service to adopt new regulations that would prohibit USPS from transmitting mail ballots to voters who are not on a USPS-controlled list.
On August 21, USPS announced a new rule implementing the President's demands that require states to register every voter who is eligible to vote by mail with USPS and tasking USPS with compiling the registered voters into state-specific lists. The rule also establishes new design requirements for the mail-in ballot envelopes created by states, which states are required to meet and get approved by USPS. Under the rule, USPS will not deliver ballots to voters who do not appear on the USPS-generated lists and will not deliver ballots in envelopes that fail to comply with the rule's new standards.
On August 26, Brown co-led a coalition of 25 states in filing a lawsuit to block the unlawful rule. On August 28, the court granted the coalition's request for a temporary restraining order, finding that compliance with the rule before the November elections was "practically impossible" and that it created a significant risk of disenfranchisement.
With the November general election near, the coalition argued the rule inflicts significant, irreparable harm on states by imposing burdensome mail voting requirements that risk disenfranchising eligible voters. The coalition argues that USPS's rule upends successful, longstanding vote-by-mail procedures and violates federal statutes and the Constitution, which makes clear that states have the primary authority to administer elections.
Brown was joined in filing this lawsuit, which he co-led with the attorneys general of California, and Nevada, by the attorneys general of Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Hawai`i, Illinois, Massachusetts, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, Wisconsin, and the Governor of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
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Original text here: https://www.atg.wa.gov/news/news-releases/ag-brown-coalition-secure-new-court-order-blocking-illegal-usps-attack-mail
