Diners at a pizza restaurant in Iron River, Wisconsin, will soon notice teenage employees wearing shirts or name tags in different colors. This change is not a marketing strategy but part of measures to comply with federal child labor laws. The U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of the Administrative Law Judges entered consent findings on November 4, 2024, to resolve alleged violations by Ironbluebear Inc., operator of Pizza Parlor.

Investigations revealed that Pizza Parlor and its owner Michelle Drougas employed 11 children illegally. Six children were found operating and cleaning a meat grinder, while seven others drove motor vehicles for deliveries—activities prohibited under the Fair Labor Standards Act's hazardous occupations orders. Additionally, one child under 16 was using an oven heated between 500 and 900 degrees Fahrenheit for cooking pizzas, violating restrictions on baking activities for minors.

Ironbluebear and Drougas have agreed to pay $99,882 in civil penalties for these violations. An initial payment of $33,294 has been made, with the remaining balance due by September 30, 2025.

The employers also committed to several corrective actions:

- Applying stickers from the Wage and Hour Division’s Youth Employment Compliance Assistance Toolkit on hazardous equipment.

- Requiring young workers to wear color-coded shirts or name tags indicating their age groups.

- Posting child labor and anti-retaliation fact sheets for all employees.

Kristin Tout, District Director of the Wage and Hour Division in Minneapolis, emphasized the importance of protecting young workers: “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.” Regional Solicitor Christine Z. Heri added that this case underscores the department's commitment to using all resources necessary to safeguard children from dangerous employment practices.

Federal regulations restrict work hours for children aged 14 and 15. They may not work past 7 p.m. between Labor Day and May 31 or beyond 9 p.m. from June through Labor Day. Their working hours are limited to eight on non-school days or a total of 40 during weeks when school is out; they can work no more than three hours on school days or a maximum of 18 hours during school weeks.

Trial attorney Rachel Murphy represented the department’s Office of the Solicitor in this case.

The division provides resources like its restaurant compliance toolkit to help employers understand wage and child labor laws better. Through initiatives such as YouthRules!, it promotes safe work experiences for teens by offering information about protections available for young workers.

For further assistance regarding compliance issues or back wages inquiries, individuals can contact the agency’s helpline at 866-4US-WAGE (487-9243). The department also offers a Timesheet App available in English and Spanish for accurate tracking of hours worked and wages earned.