The U.S. Department of Labor found multiple McDonald's restaurants in the Pittsburgh area in violation of child labor laws by allowing employees under the age of 16 to work outside of permissible hours.
The Labor Department’s Wage and Hour Division found that a franchisee operating 13 McDonald's locations in the Pittsburgh area violated federal child labor laws, according to a release.
“Permitting young workers to work excessive hours can jeopardize their safety, well-being and education,” Wage and Hour District Director in Pittsburgh John DuMont said, according to the release. “Employers who hire young workers must understand and comply with federal child labor laws or face costly consequences.”
The franchisee violated the Fair Labor Standards Act by allowing more than 100 14- and 15-year-old employees to work after 7 p.m. on school days, three-plus hours on school days, more than eight hours on non-school days, for more than 18 hours during the school week and after 9 p.m. between June 1 and Labor Day, according to the release.
Santonastasso Enterprises LLC, owned by John and Kathleen Santonastasso and based in Bridgeville, has been ordered to pay a civil penalty of $57,332 for the violations.
The Wage and Hour Division's investigation found that employees were affected by the violations at multiple locations, the release reported: 11 workers at the Bridgeville McDonald's on Washington Pike; nine workers at the Castle Shannon location on Mt. Lebanon Boulevard; seven workers at the Coraopolis location on 4th Avenue; 10 workers at the Greentree location on Poplar Street; five workers at the Moon Township location on Gracy Center Way; four workers at the Star Junction on Pittsburgh Road; five workers at the McKees Rocks location on Pine Hollow Road; six workers at the Pittsburgh location on Davis Boulevard; 11 workers at the Pittsburgh location on Forbes Avenue; three workers at the Pittsburgh location on Liberty Avenue; 18 workers at the Pittsburgh location on Penn Avenue; three workers at the Waynesburg location on East Roy Furman Highway; and nine workers at the Waynesburg location on Sugar Run.
