Mass AG Healey To Bruins: “Step Up” And Pay Your Employees

The Boston Bruins are now the only NHL team to not provide their non-salary and game-day employees compensation after the NHL season was paused March 12 due to the Coronavirus. As criticism from the media and fans grew louder this week, it approached a crescendo Friday when Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey sounded off on the Bruins and Delaware North.

“I just want them to act, I just want them to step up and do something,” Healey told the Boston Herald Friday. “Do something for their workers. Every other team has said they are going to provide financial support for hourly workers who have been hurt by this, and that runs the range of paying their salaries or paying for their living expenses. … I just want them to act now.”

Some team employees told Boston Hockey Now Friday, that they don’t expect anything from Jacobs because they were immediately told to seek unemployment benefits once the season was put on pause. Numerous emails from BHN to Delaware North and Bruins Vice President of Communications and Marketing Matt Chmura to confirm that have not been returned.

Almost all pro sports teams have stepped up for their event staff since the sports world rapidly shut down last weekend. Even some Bruins players have chipped in with donations to a GoFundMe set up for the temporarily unemployed team workers. 

Some good friends started this go fund me page for the TD Garden employees. Please take a lookhttps://t.co/JCTW5hst9v

— Brad Marchand (@Bmarch63) March 14, 2020

As of Thursday, that valiant effort had raised just over $30,000 but was still not close to its goal of $250,000. For some team employees, these jobs are the difference between a roof over their heads and being homeless. They’ve already missed five games and will not be able to work the final seven regular season games and at least two Stanley Cup Playoff games the Bruins would play at TD Garden for the foreseeable future, if ever. The league, like everything right now, is in a wait and see mode, but these workers are wondering why they’re still waiting for help from Bruins team owner Jeremy Jacobs. 

“They’re totally stressed out,” Healey said. “One of them talked to us about being afraid of becoming homeless without this income, and in the midst of this public health emergency it’s important to do everything we can to try to support each other.”