A Dorchester Avenue grocery store and its owner will pay more than $100,000 in restitution and fines for underpaying employees. Truong-Thinh Market, Inc. and its president, Joseph Pham, have agreed to pay more than $84,000 in restitution to workers and more than $21,000 in penalties for failure to pay minimum and overtime wages.

Pham was also blamed for failing to keep accurate payroll records, according to Attorney General Maura Healey, who announced the settlement on Monday.

Healey’s office began a probe of the market last July following complaints from several employees.
"This business took advantage of its workers by failing to pay them the appropriate hard-earned wages they were entitled to," Healey said. The AG’s investigation determined that, from September 2013 to August 2015, a total of seven employees were not paid minimum wage or the proper overtime rate.

Employees were working more than 40 hours per week and were paid a salary in cash that did not meet the statutory requirements for minimum wage or overtime.

The AG's Office enforces the laws regulating the payment of wages, including prevailing wage, minimum wage and overtime laws. Workers who believe that their rights have been violated in their workplace are encouraged to call the Office's Fair Labor Hotline at 617-727-3465.