Kentucky McDonald’s found illegally employing children
- The three franchise operators were fined $212,000
- More than 300 minors under 16 were working more hours than permitted by law
- Two 10-year-olds were also found to be working illegally without pay
This photo shows a logo of a McDonald’s restaurant in Havertown, Pa., on April 26, 2022. A report says McDonald’s has closed its U.S. offices for a few days as the company prepares to inform employees about layoffs. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
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LOUISVILLE, Ky. (NewsNation) — Three McDonald’s franchises in Louisville are facing fines after an investigation found they had minors working illegally.
Investigators with the U.S. Department of Labor found 305 minors, including kids as young as 10, working late nights in kitchens near dangerous equipment. The franchises were fined $212,754 for having minors work more than the legally allowed hours and having them perform tasks prohibited by law for underage employees.
“Too often, employers fail to follow the child labor laws that protect young workers,” explained Wage and Hour Division District Director Karen Garnett-Civils in Louisville. “Under no circumstances should there ever be a 10-year-old child working in a fast-food kitchen around hot grills, ovens and deep fryers.”
Bauer Food LLC, Archways Richwood LLC and Bell Restaurant Group LLC operate 62 McDonald’s franchises across four states. All three franchises were found to have minors working more than allowable by law and for having employees under 16 work earlier or later than permitted.
Bauer Food was also found to have two unpaid, 10-year-old children working, although that is below the allowable age for employment. The company was also found to have allowed children under 16 to work the deep fryer, which isn’t allowed under federal law.
Federal labor laws include restrictions on the types of jobs minors can work as well as the hours. For 14- and 15-year-old teens, work isn’t allowed during school hours, before 7 a.m. or after 7 p.m. during the school year, and they are limited to 3 hours of work on school days and 8 on non-school days.
The Department of Labor found hundreds of minors illegally employed in hazardous jobs in 2022, including a 15-year-old who was injured while operating a deep fryer at a Tennessee McDonald’s.