A U.S. Department of Labor investigation found a Utah specialty beverage and dessert shop chain violated federal Child Labor Laws.
Sodalicious employed 19 teenage employees who worked past 7 p.m. on a school night, after 9 p.m. during the summer and for more than three hours on a school day, according to a March 29 news release. The 14- and 15-year-old employees worked at the Midvale, Orem, Provo and South Jordan locations.
"Our investigators continue to see an increase in child labor violations, especially in the food service industry," DOL Wage and Hour Southwest Regional Administrator Betty Campbell said in the news release. "Employers like Sodalicious are legally responsible for knowing and complying with federal child labor laws and making sure their employment practices do not jeopardize the safety of young workers or interfere with their education."
Sodalicious was ordered to pay $13,946 in penalties "to resolve the infractions," the news release said. Employers are legally responsible for knowing and complying with federal child labor laws and ensuring their employment practices do not jeopardize the safety of young workers or interfere with their education.
Sodalicious owns and operates 25 locations, providing custom-mixed sodas and desserts, the release reported. Most of the locations are in Utah, with five each located in Arizona and Idaho. The company was founds in 2013 by Annie and Kevin Auernig.
"We hope that employers in the region view this case as a reminder of the importance of abiding by child labor laws and the costly consequences related to violating the law," Campbell said in the release.
DOL's investigation into Sodalicious was part of a heightened education and enforcement effort by the department's Wage and Hour Division, according to the release. The investigation found more than 3,800 minors were employed in violation of child labor laws in fiscal year 2022, 37% more than in the previous year. The increase follows on the heels of the COVID-19 pandemic when more young workers entered the workforce.
A separate news release issued the same day by DOL's Southwest Region described the illegal employment of youngsters by other companies and reminded Salt Lake City-area employee "to comply with child labor laws."
