Hundreds Of Children, Including 2 10-Year-Olds, Found Working Overtime At McDonald's

A Labor Department investigation uncovered the violations of child labor law, which spurred a total fine of $212,744.
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Three McDonald’s franchise operators were fined a total of $212,744 after investigators found 305 children under 16 working longer than legally permitted — and two 10-year-olds working unpaid — at 62 locations across four states, the Department of Labor said Tuesday.

The department’s Wage and Hour Division uncovered these child labor law violations in Kentucky, Maryland, Indiana and Ohio and found Bauer Food LLC, Archways Richwood LLC and Bell Restaurant Group I LLC liable.

The division said the 10-year-olds, who worked at McDonald’s restaurants run by Bauer Food in Louisville, “sometimes worked as late as 2 a.m.” and “prepared and distributed food orders, cleaned the store, worked at the drive-thru window and operated a register.”

“The division also learned that one of the two children was allowed to operate a deep fryer, a prohibited task for workers under 16 years old,” the department said Tuesday. For these violations, the department fined Bauer Food $39,711.

The franchisee employed a total of 24 children under the age of 16 and had them “work more than the legally permitted hours.” As a result, the minors would “sometimes” illegally work overlong shifts or too many shifts throughout a week — which occurred “whether or not school is in session.”

Federal child labor laws regulate the kind of work employees under 18 can perform, as well as the hours they’re allowed to work. For 14-to-15-year-olds, that means only working outside of school hours, no longer than three hours on school days and not after 7 p.m.

The three separate McDonald's franchise operators were fined a total of $212,744.
The three separate McDonald's franchise operators were fined a total of $212,744.
Charlie Neibergall/Associated Press

“Too often, employers fail to follow the child labor laws that protect young workers,” said Karen Garnett-Civils, the division’s local director. “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 Foods told CNN Tuesday that the 10-year-olds were children of a night manager who were visiting their parent, however, and that the franchise operator never agreed to nor approved them performing tasks prohibited by child labor laws.

Tiffanie Boyd, senior vice president and chief people officer at McDonald’s USA, nonetheless told the outlet Tuesday that “these reports are unacceptable, deeply troubling and run afoul of the high expectations we have for the entire McDonald’s brand.”

Archways Richwood, which runs 27 McDonald’s locations, employed 242 children between 14 and 15. The Labor Department said “most worked earlier or later in the day than the law permits and more than three hours on school days” and fined the operator $143,566.

The investigation found 14- and 15-year-olds were working longer shifts at McDonald's locations than legally allowed.
The investigation found 14- and 15-year-olds were working longer shifts at McDonald's locations than legally allowed.
Jeffrey Greenberg/Universal Images Group/Getty Images

“We are seeing an increase in federal child labor violations, including allowing minors to operate equipment or handle types of work that endangers them or employs them for more hours or later in the day than federal law allows,” said Garnett-Civils in the news release.

The Bell Restaurant Group, meanwhile, had 39 children between 14 and 15 working during prohibited hours, for longer than allowed and even during school hours, said the division. This, as well as their failure to pay workers overtime wages, spurred a $43,997 fine.

“An employer who hires young workers must know the rules,” Garnett-Civils said in Tuesday’s news release. “An employer, parent or young worker with questions can contact us for help understanding their obligations and rights under the law.”

The Wage and Hour Division offers confidential assistance in more than 200 languages to help people comply with child labor laws via a toll-free hotline at 866-4US-WAGE. Workers and employers can learn more about these protections on the YouthRules! website.

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