BOSTON -- Town Sports International (TSI), New York, paid fines totaling $40,000 in Massachusetts for violating that state’s child labor laws.
TSI, which runs Boston Sports Club, and its president and CEO, Alex Alimanestianu, were cited for more than 1,600 violations at 23 clubs it operates in Massachusetts.
TSI had to pay a $15,000 fine for violations related to minors working before and after permissible hours, another $15,000 fine for employing minors more than the maximum hours and days per week, and a $10,000 fine relating to the employment of minors without work permits.
TSI said it worked in close cooperation with the office of Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley during the office’s investigation. The company completed a thorough review of its payroll records and hiring practices and has taken the necessary steps to comply with the state’s child labor laws, according to a statement from the company to Club Industry's Fitness Business Pro.
“We take our responsibilities as a corporate citizen within this outstanding community very seriously,” TSI said in the statement. “We are proud that we can provide employment opportunities for students in our clubs and summer programs.”
Some of the measures TSI has implemented after completing its review involve changes in its process of hiring minors, changes in personnel management and record keeping, and the institution of child labor law training programs for all of its employees.
The investigation began in March 2008 after the attorney general’s office received a complaint alleging child labor laws violations at the Boston Sports Club in Waltham, MA.