The U.S. Department of Labor recently issued a $3,258 penalty against Faris Enterprises of Tennessee, the operator of a McDonald’s franchise location, in Morristown, for violating child labor laws.
The investigation found a 15-year-old employee was assigned to cook french fries using a hot oil deep fryer without an automatic basket, leading to burns while manually removing the food from the fryer, according to a March 23 DOL news release. The child labor penalty resulted in a $3,258 civil penalty.
“Since 2018, we have seen an alarming increase in federal child labor violations, including allowing minors to operate equipment or do types of work that endangers them or employing them for more hours or later in the day than federal law allows,” Wage and Hour Division Nashville District Director Lisa Kelly said in the release.
In addition, Faris Enterprises deducted pay from two workers during overtime work weeks to account for uniforms and cash register shortages, leading to the recovery of $45 in back wages for the workers and issued $882 in civil penalties for the repeat nature of the violation.
In fiscal year 2022, the Department of Labor found 688 minors employed in hazardous occupations, the highest annual count since fiscal year 2011, according to the release. Employers are encouraged to use online tools or contact the Wage and Hour Division for guidance and compliance assistance.
“Any employer who hires young workers must know what work they are allowed to do and when they can and cannot work,” Kelly added, according to the release
Kelly said employers must be aware of the laws pertaining to young workers, the release said. She noted the Wage and Hour Division is finding too many employers who are unaware of the law or choose to ignore it.
The Wage and Hour Division offers multiple tools to help employers understand their responsibilities and offers confidential compliance assistance to anyone with questions about how to comply with the law, according to the release.
