A Dunkin' franchise owner in Massachusetts is being fined for child labor law violations.
Fernando Sardinha was fined $20,121 after the U.S. Department of Labor found that the company allowed 21 employees under the age of 16 to work more hours than federal law allows and permitted three of these workers to operate a hazardous machine, according to an April 24 news release.
“The Fair Labor Standard Act’s child labor provisions limit the employment of 14- and 15-year-olds to those jobs and time periods that the Secretary of Labor has determined will not interfere with their schooling and to conditions which will not pose hazards to their health and well-being,” Wage and Hour Division District Director Carlos Matos said in the release.
To ensure future compliance, Sardinha agreed to create an internal policy to comply with child labor hour standards, provide training and publications for child labor laws, institute a disciplinary procedure, appoint a child labor compliance director, spot-check timesheets and post Regulation 3 Child Labor Hours Standards at each location, the release reported.
The Wage and Hour Division found more than 3,800 minors were employed in violation of child labor laws in fiscal year 2022, the release reported.
The Fair Labor Standards Act prohibits non-agricultural employment of workers under the age of 14, according to the release. At ages 14 and 15, workers must be employed outside of school hours and cannot work more than three hours on a school day, more than 18 hours per week when school is in session, more than eight hours per day when school is not in session and more than 40 hours per week when school is not in session.
This investigation identified numerous instances where young workers worked more than the allowed hours, the release said.
The Wage and Hour Division is offering free webinars for employers, parents and young workers to learn more about the FLSA’s youth employment protections and encourages employers and young workers and their parents to review federal child labor laws to understand employers' legal obligations and minor-aged workers' rights and protections, the release reported.
