Examiner: Dunkin’ Dumps Store Owners for Hiring Undocumented Workers

The world’s most famous doughnut maker, Dunkin’, outraged that some franchises are not using the required E-Verify system to make sure its workers are authorized to work in the United States, has moved to oust the owners and take over the restaurants, as reported by the Washington Examiner.

According to several reports, the Massachusetts-based breakfast and lunch restaurant, which recently changed its name from Dunkin’ Donuts, has sued to stop those franchise owners from operating under the Dunkin’ name. The most recent suits were filed in Delaware and Pennsylvania, “amid what appears to be a crackdown on franchisees employment verification practices,” according to Restaurant Business. According to a post from Americans for Legal Immigration PAC, “Each of the lawsuits is similar. They each said that Dunkin’ reviewed employment verification, found violations at the subject franchisee companies, terminated the operators’ franchise agreement, and then swiftly moved to remove the franchisees from the restaurants.”

A Law360 report said, “the corporation filed a suit against multiple former franchisees ‘with locations in Pennsylvania and Delaware’ stating that they were ‘sullying the coffee chain’s reputations . . . engaged in illegal hiring practices in breach of their contracts.'” It added, “The franchisees had failed to use the E-Verify program as their contracts required, according to DD’s lawyers. E-Verify is a government-provided system that informs employers whether or not a worker is in legal status. There is no charge for its usage.”

Dunkin’ will not comment on pending legislation.