A Pennsylvania Wendy’s restaurant franchisee took steps to correct violations of federal child labor standards after an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division found teens were working too many hours per day and per week.
Investigators found working hour violations at locations in Allentown, Easton, Pottstown and Whitehall operated by Philly LIV Bacon LLC and three other corporations, according to a June 14 Department of Labor release.
“Employing young workers offers valuable work experience and that experience should never come at the expense of their safety or education,” Wage and Hour Division District Director Alfonso Gristina in Wilkes-Barre, Pa., said, according to the release. “The actions taken by Philly LIV Bacon LLC will help ensure minors they employ gain the benefits of real-life work experience without putting them at risk.”
Investigators found 14- and 15-year-olds worked longer than three hours on a school day, more than eight hours on a non-school day and more than 18 hours during a school week, all violations, the release said. Philly LIV Bacon LLC also failed to maintain proper records.
Other violations included allowing 15-year-old workers to manually raise and lower fry baskets. By law, they may only operate them automatically, according to the release.
The company agreed to comply with the law at the 83 restaurants it operates in Pennsylvania, New York and New Jersey. It also paid $15,449 in civil money penalties for the violations, the release said.
Gristina said the actions will help ensure minors are not put at risk as they gain real-life work experience, the release reported.
