The U.S. Department of Labor has reached a settlement with El Mazatlan Inc., a Glasgow-based restaurant chain, requiring the company to pay $250,000 in penalties for violations of federal child labor laws. The investigation by the department’s Wage and Hour Division revealed that the restaurant employed a 13-year-old child and 37 teenagers aged 14 and 15 to work more hours than permitted by the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

El Mazatlan has agreed to comply with future regulations and will update its management training program to include child labor training materials. Training sessions will also be conducted for all supervisors and managers.

“Learning new skills in the workforce is an important part of growing up – but we must protect children and ensure their first jobs do not interfere with their education or well-being,” said Wage and Hour Division District Director Karen Garnett-Civils in Louisville, Kentucky. “The Fair Labor Standards Act allows for developmental experiences but restricts the hours and occupations of workers under age 16 and provides for penalties when employers do not follow the law.”

Additionally, El Mazatlan was found guilty of deducting uniform costs from servers' wages, reducing them below the federal minimum wage, and failing to pay overtime to three salaried employees who were not exempt from FLSA’s overtime requirements. The division recovered $50,233 in back wages along with an equal amount in liquidated damages for 168 employees.

“We found El Mazatlan liable for significant penalties as well as back wages and damages totaling more than $350,000,” explained Garnett-Civils. “The Wage and Hour Division is committed to protecting workers’ rights and holding employers accountable when they fail to pay employees in compliance with the law.”

The division provides various resources explaining employer obligations under labor laws. The YouthRules! initiative promotes safe work experiences for teens by offering information on protections available to young workers. This initiative aims at preparing young individuals through developmental work experiences.

Workers and employers can reach out confidentially to the Wage and Hour Division with questions, which can be addressed in over 200 languages through their toll-free helpline at 866-4US-WAGE (487-9243). To help ensure accurate tracking of hours worked and pay received, there is also a free Timesheet App available for Android or iPhone users in both English and Spanish.