A McDonald’s franchisee in Kentucky employed two 10-year-old children in violation of federal labor laws, the Department of Labor said Tuesday.
Bauer Food, LLC, a Louisville-based operator of 10 McDonald’s franchise locations across two states, employed the children, the DOL said in a news release.
Officials said the children were not paid, yet sometimes worked as late as 2 a.m. and they “prepared and distributed food orders, cleaned the store, worked at the drive-thru window and operated a register.” Investigators learned that “one of the two children was allowed to operate a deep fryer, a prohibited task for workers under 16 years old.”
Bauer Food franchise owner Sean Bauer told CBS News that the children were visiting their parent, who works as a night manager. He said the kids were not approved to be in that part of restaurant by franchisee organization management and that any work the children did was at the direction of, and in the presence of, the parent.
Bauer added that the company has worked to make sure the policy regarding children visiting parents and guardians at work is clear to all employees.
In June of 2022, a 15-year-old worker at a Tennessee McDonald’s franchise suffered hot oil burns while using a deep fryer, according to the agency. Fourteen and 15-year-olds are permitted to cook with deep fryers under federal regulations, but only ones equipped with automatic baskets.
“One child injured at work is one too many,” Wage and Hour Division District...
Kevin Sabet, CEO of Smart Approaches to Marijuana, discusses a class-action lawsuit against Chicago cannabis companies for allegedly marketing products with false medical benefits on 'America's New...