Julie Su Acting United States Secretary of Labor | Official Website
The U.S. Department of Labor has imposed $277,414 in civil penalties on the operators of 10 Blaze Fast Fire’d Pizza locations in Las Vegas and Henderson after federal investigators discovered that the employer had illegally employed dozens of children for hazardous tasks and excessive hours on school days.
Investigators from the department’s Wage and Hour Division found that Bryz Guyz Inc. in Henderson willfully employed 23 children, aged 15 to 17, to operate industrial pizza dough mixers. Additionally, the investigation revealed that five 15-year-olds were allowed to work during prohibited hours as stipulated by the Fair Labor Standards Act’s child labor provisions. Specifically, these minors worked more than three hours on school days and as late as 10:30 p.m., despite federal regulations prohibiting such employment after 7 p.m. from the day after Labor Day through May 31.
“Learning new skills in the workforce is an important part of growing up but we must protect children and ensure their first jobs are safe and do not interfere with their education or well-being,” said Wage and Hour Division District Director Gene Ramos in Las Vegas. “The Fair Labor Standards Act allows these important work experiences but ensures that when children work, they are employed in a manner that promotes their health, safety and educational opportunities.”
In fiscal year 2023, the division identified over 5,700 instances of child labor law violations, including more than 500 cases involving hazardous occupations. During this period, penalties related to child labor amounted to over $8 million—an increase of 83 percent from the previous year.
“The U.S. Department of Labor is committed to safeguarding the rights and well-being of all employees, particularly the youngest and most vulnerable,” Ramos added. “We continue to provide outreach and training to employers nationwide on compliance with federal wage and child labor laws.”
Blaze Fast Fire’d Pizza, headquartered in Pasadena, California, operates over 340 franchise locations across 38 states and six countries.
The department’s YouthRules! initiative aims to promote positive and safe work experiences for teens by providing information about protections for young workers to youth, parents, employers, and educators. This initiative supports developmental work experiences that prepare young workers for future employment.
Additionally, the division has published Seven Child Labor Best Practices for Employers to aid compliance with legal standards. More information about young workers’ rights can be obtained through the toll-free helpline at 866-4US-WAGE (487-9243). The Wage and Hour Division offers resources including a search tool for back wages owed by employers. The division communicates with workers in over 200 languages and provides a Timesheet App available for Android and iOS devices in English and Spanish.
