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Image capture from Google Maps (May 2025). Northeast Securities, Inc., on Washington Street in Westwood, MA, will be paying over half a million dollars as part of a settlement with the MA Attorney General's Office.
10-17-2025 12:21pm
AG's Office Secures Over Half a Million Dollars from Westwood-Based Security Company for Violating Workers' Rights
Darlene Cancell
Editor
Westwood-based security firm, Northeast Security, Inc., has agreed to pay over $583,000 in a settlement with the Massachusetts Attorney General's Office (AGO) to resolve allegations that the company violated state employment laws related to wage payments and earned sick time, announced the AGO on October 15th.
The AGO found that Northeast Security violated the state's Wage Act when it deducted deposits for employee uniforms from workers' paychecks without obtaining waivers from the Department of Labor Standards. The waivers are necessary to allow the company to make such deductions. Under the Wage Act, employers may not withhold wages unless required or permitted by law or authorized by the employee for the employee's own benefit.
The AGO also found that Northeast Security violated the Earned Sick Time Law when it incorrectly limited the amount of sick time employees could accrue. According to the AGO, Northeast Security miscounted the accrued, unused earned sick time from the previous year against the 40 hours that the employees could potentially earn during the benefit year. As a result, certain workers received less sick time than they were entitled to and were wrongly denied sick leave. The AGO also found that Northeast Security limited the type of work shifts employees were allowed to use sick time for, wrongly denying sick leave for assigned shifts that were outside employees' regular schedule.
The AGO began investigating Northeast Security after receiving complaints from employees. Under the settlement, many security workers employed by Northeast Security from January 1, 2022 to July 10, 2024 are entitled to payments. The settlement provides for restitution for more than 3,000 workers.
Some employees have already received restitution, and current employees will receive further restitution payments directly from Northeast Security. Restitution checks will be mailed in early 2026.
Former employees of Northeast Security who worked there at any point from January 1, 2022 through July 10, 2024 can send an email to fldsettlement@mass.gov that references Northeast Security Settlement in the message and includes the employee's name, current address, and current utility bill showing proof of address.
Source: Press Release of Massachusetts Office of Attorney General , "AG's Office Secures Over $583,000 from Westwood-Based Security Company for Violating Workers' Rights" (October 15, 2025).
