Waxy's Pub Owners To Pay $125K To Resolve Wage Theft Allegations

WOBURN, MA — The owners and managers of Waxy's Modern Irish Pub will pay $125,000 in restitution and penalties to resolve allegations of wage theft and retaliation, the attorney general's office said Tuesday.

Waxy's had locations in Woburn, Brookline, Kingston and Foxborough. One Massachusetts location remains in Lexington.

After receiving complaints from employees about paychecks bouncing, investigators found the Waxy's managers "repeatedly bounced employee checks and paid workers beyond the statutorily required six-day period for timely payment of wages as far back as 2015," the office said in a news release.

"The investigation also revealed that the employers denied workers earned sick time, failed to pay the difference when employees’ tips and service rate pay did not bring them to the required minimum wage, and retaliated against certain employees who complained about the untimely payment of wages by removing those employees from the schedule permanently," the release continues.

The office issued 12 citations to the chain's operators, including its owners Paul McKenna and Ashok Patel and the hotel management company Jamsan Hotel Management Inc. which acted as a joint employer.

Christopher Huffaker can be reached at 412-265-8353 or chris.huffaker@patch.com.