Two 10-year-olds were among 300 youngsters who worked unlawfully at McDonald’s restaurants, according to a Labor Department probe of Kentucky franchisees.
The 10-year-olds were discovered to have earned little or no compensation at a McDonald’s in Louisville, according to Labor Department investigators. The franchisee for the Louisville location was one of three McDonald’s franchisees penalized a total of $212,000 by the department.
According to the agency, Louisville’s Bauer Food LLC, which operates 10 McDonald’s outlets, employed 24 kids under the age of 16 to work longer hours than legally permitted. Two of them were 10-year-old children. According to the organization, the children sometimes worked until 2 a.m. but were not paid.
“Below the minimum age for employment, they prepared and distributed food orders, cleaned the store, worked at the drive-thru window, and operated a register,” the Labor Department said Tuesday, adding that one child also was allowed to operate a deep fryer, which is prohibited task for workers under 16.
Fast food franchise investigated for child labor violations in Kentucky
Sean Bauer, the owner-operator of the franchise, stated that the two 10-year-olds mentioned in the Labor Department’s statement were visiting their mom, a night manager, and were not employees.
“Any ‘work’ was done at the direction of — and in the presence of — the parent without authorization by franchisee organization management or leadership,” Bauer said in a prepared statement Wednesday, adding that they’ve since reminded staff of the kid visitation rules.
Federal child labor laws provide tight restrictions on the types of jobs and hours that children can work. The Kentucky investigations are part of the Labor Department’s Wage and Hour Division’s ongoing endeavor to end child labor violations throughout the Southeast.
“Too often, employers fail to follow the child labor laws that protect young workers,” said division Director Karen Garnett-Civils. “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.”
McDonald’s franchisees accused of allowing minors to work beyond permitted hours in Kentucky
Furthermore, Walton-based Archways Richwood LLC and Louisville-based Bell Restaurant Group I LLC allowed minors aged 14 and 15 to work beyond their permitted hours, according to the department. Archway Richwood did not immediately respond to a request for comment, and Brdancat Management Inc., of which Bell Restaurant Group is a subsidiary, declined to comment.
“These reports are unacceptable, deeply troubling, and run afoul of the high expectations we have for the entire McDonald’s brand,” McDonald’s USA spokeswoman Tiffanie Boyd said. “We are committed to ensuring our franchisees have the resources they need to foster safe workplaces for all employees and maintain compliance with all labor laws.”.