Published
March 30, 2026
Updated
August 4, 2026
This NYC enforcement settlement requires Dunkin' and Taco Bell franchisee Salz Management to pay more than $1.5 million in restitution to more than 760 workers; there is no public claim form.
The franchisee, Salz Management LLC, is based in Jericho, Long Island. In addition to Dunkin' and Taco Bell, the company's franchise portfolio includes Wingstop, Wendy's, and Baskin-Robbins. The settlement includes more than $1.5 million in worker restitution plus $155,000 in civil penalties.
What Is the Fair Workweek Law?
New York City's Fair Workweek Law is a set of scheduling protections for fast food and retail workers. Under the law, employers are required to provide work schedules at least 14 days in advance. If an employer changes a schedule after that window, the worker is entitled to a premium payment. The law also regulates "clopening" shifts — situations where an employee closes a store late at night and is scheduled to open the store again early the next morning, with fewer than 11 hours between shifts. Employers must obtain the worker's written consent and pay a $100 premium for each clopening shift.Additionally, the law requires employers to offer newly available shifts to current employees before hiring outside workers.
Status
Government settlement
Restitution is distributed directly
Worker Restitution
More than $1.5 million
More than 760 workers
Can I Claim?
No public claim form
DCWP contacts covered workers
What Did the Franchisee Do Wrong?
According to the DCWP investigation, which spanned approximately two years, Salz Management LLC committed multiple violations of the Fair Workweek Law at its 24 Dunkin' and Taco Bell locations in New York City:Failed to provide advance schedules: The company did not give employees their work schedules at least 14 days before the start of the shift, as required by law.
Illegal clopening shifts: Workers were scheduled to close stores late at night and return to open the next morning without their written consent and without the required $100 premium payment per shift.
Did not offer shifts to existing employees first: When new shifts became available, the company hired additional staff instead of offering those hours to workers already on the payroll.
Changed schedules without proper notice: Employee schedules were altered after the 14-day advance notice window without required premium payments.
How Much Will Affected Workers Receive?
The total settlement is more than $1.5 million in restitution for approximately 760 workers who were employed at the affected locations. In addition, Salz Management LLC will pay $155,000 in civil penalties. The exact per-worker payout has not been publicly disclosed and will depend on how restitution is distributed among the affected employees based on the nature and extent of the violations each worker experienced.Key Deadlines for the Dunkin' Donuts Settlement
This is a government enforcement settlement, not a traditional class action with a fixed claim deadline. However, there are important timelines to be aware of:Restitution distribution: The DCWP will distribute the $1.5 million in restitution to the approximately 760 affected workers. NYC says Salz Management workers will receive two payments, around August 2026 and January 2027.
DCWP complaint deadline: If you are a current or former fast food worker in New York City and believe your employer is violating the Fair Workweek Law, you can file a complaint with DCWP at any time. However, the statute of limitations for Fair Workweek claims is generally two years from the date of the violation, so it is important to act promptly.
Separate QSR Management lawsuit: The city's lawsuit against QSR Management LLC for violations at 21 Staten Island Dunkin' locations is still in its early stages. There is no settlement or deadline in that case yet. Workers at those locations should monitor developments.
How to File a Claim or Complaint
There is no public claim form for the Dunkin' Donuts settlement with Salz Management LLC. The $1.5 million in restitution is being distributed directly to the approximately 760 affected workers through the DCWP enforcement process. If you worked at one of the 24 Dunkin' or Taco Bell locations in Manhattan or Queens operated by Salz Management and have not been contacted about the settlement, you can reach out to DCWP directly.If you are a fast food worker in New York City and believe your employer is violating the Fair Workweek Law — whether at a Dunkin', Taco Bell, or any other fast food chain — you have the right to file a complaint with the NYC Department of Consumer and Worker Protection. Here is how:
Online: Visit the DCWP workplace complaint page. You can submit a complaint electronically describing the scheduling violations.
What to include: Your contact information, the name of your employer, the dates and nature of the scheduling violations (such as last-minute schedule changes, clopening shifts without consent, or failure to offer you available hours), and any documentation you have such as schedule screenshots, pay stubs, or text messages from managers.
DCWP investigates complaints confidentially. It is illegal for your employer to retaliate against you for filing a complaint.
NYC Files Suit Against a Second Dunkin' Franchisee
Alongside the Salz Management settlement, the city announced it is filing a separate lawsuit against another Dunkin' franchisee — QSR Management LLC and its managing corporate officer Ronny Nader. That case alleges similar Fair Workweek Law violations affecting roughly 1,000 workers at 21 Dunkin' locations on Staten Island.That lawsuit has not yet been settled and is still in its early stages.
Part of a Broader Enforcement Wave
This settlement is part of a growing trend of enforcement actions targeting fast food employers in New York City for scheduling violations. In December 2025, the city reached a $38.9 million settlement with Starbucks over similar Fair Workweek Law violations — the largest worker protection settlement in the city's history at the time.Since Mayor Zohran Mamdani took office at the beginning of 2026, DCWP has secured more than $8.5 million in restitution for workers across the city, including $5 million for more than 49,000 wrongfully deactivated delivery workers and $500,000 for late payments to 350 freelancers.
New York City has been at the forefront of regulating on-call and unpredictable scheduling in the fast food industry. Similar fair scheduling laws have since been adopted in Oregon and in cities including Los Angeles, Chicago, and San Francisco.
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Status
Government enforcement settlement
Respondent
Salz Management LLC
Agency
NYC Department of Consumer and Worker Protection
Announced
March 24, 2026
Payment Schedule
Around August 2026 and January 2027
Official Announcement
NYC Mayor's Office
