By Natalia Rueda 
McDonald’s franchisees are facing thousands of dollars in fines for illegally employing minors in 62 locations across four states. The Department of Labor has found that Bauer Food LLC allowed 24 minors to work more than legally allowed, including two 10-year-olds who were not paid but were working late into the night.
The Department of Labor found that the three franchisees, Bauer Food, Archways Richwood and Bell Restaurant Group, had employed 305 children to work for more hours than allowed by law. The boys were reportedly working in a variety of roles, including as cashiers and cleaning staff, both tasks prohibited by law for young workers.
“Under no circumstances should there ever be a 10-year-old child working in a fast-food kitchen around hot grills, ovens and deep fryers,” said Karen Garnett-Civils, wage and hour division district director for the Department of Labor in Louisville, Kentucky.
The three franchises face a combined civil penalty of $212,754 for the child labor violations, but it remains to be seen if that will be enough to make McDonald’s take action. The company has yet to comment on the situation, leaving many to wonder what steps it will take to ensure the safety of its young workers.
The fines are a reminder of the importance of adhering to child labor laws, which exist to protect young workers and ensure they are given adequate breaks and are not exposed to dangerous working conditions.