Former Employees Allege ‘Rampant’ Labor Violations at a New York Wahlburgers

Wahlburgers in Fenway. / Photo provided

Donnie Wahlberg cited bringing jobs and business to his hometown as chief among the reasons he was excited to sign a lease for a Wahlburgers in Dorchester, but some employees in New York apparently don’t feel supported by the company.

Five former Wahlburgers workers filed a class action suit in New York on Thursday, alleging “rampant” labor law violations at a Brooklyn location, CBS New reports. They said the company did not pay them proper minimum wage, and also withheld tips meant for them. One allegation is that staff once did not get a $3,000 tip that the cast of Donny Wahlberg’s CBS show, “Blue Bloods,” left for them.

The Dorchester-born family isn’t named in the lawsuit. It names Wahlburgers, and the owners of the Brooklyn franchise, according to CBS.

Wahlburgers is currently under construction at the new South Bay development in Dorchester. When it was announced in February, Donnie said, “The idea of bringing jobs and business to our neighborhood is really a source of tremendous pride for all of my family.”

“Wahlburgers is all about family,” the company says in a statement provided to Boston today. “Treating people fairly and with respect is at the heart of our brand. Since this situation came to light yesterday, we’ve been working with Coney Burgers to better understand the circumstances.”