A McDonald’s franchise that controls a dozen locations in the New Orleans metro has been penalized for violating child labor laws after the U.S. Labor Department found it hired more than 80 minors to work in two states.
CLB Investments LLC in Metairie, Louisiana, employed 72 workers – ages 14 and 15 years old – and allowed them to work longer and later hours than federal law permits at 12 restaurants in New Orleans, Kenner, Jefferson and Metairie, the DOL said on Tuesday
Investigators with the department's Wage and Hour Division found that three of the child workers were allowed to operate manual deep fryers, which is prohibited for employees under 16 years old. The franchise was hit with a $56,106 civil penalty for the violations.
New Orleans owner and operator Chris Bardell said in a statement to the Associated Press that he is committed to the safety of his workers.
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"Since learning of these violations, I've introduced mandatory child labor law trainings for my restaurant managers and conducted regular audits to ensure we're in compliance with labor regulations," Bardell said.
The Labor Department found similar violations at four McDonald’s locations operated in Texas by Marwen & Son LLC in the cities of Cedar Park, Georgetown and Leander.
Investigators discovered that the company employed 10 minors – ages 14 and 15 – to work longer shifts than legally allowed. They also found that the employer permitted seven children to operate a manual fryer and oven, and two of those seven were allowed to operate a trash compactor.
Marwen & Son was fined $21,466 in civil penalties for the violations.
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"Employers must never jeopardize the safety and well-being of young workers or interfere with their education," said Betty Campbell, Wage and Hour Division Regional Administrator in Dallas. "While learning new skills in the workforce is an important part of growing up, an employer’s first obligation is to make sure minor-aged children are protected from potential workplace hazards."
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This comes after the Labor Department announced in May that federal investigations found three McDonald's franchise operators violated child labor laws at 62 locations in four states. These violations involved more than 300 children, including some as young as 10 years old.
"We take this issue seriously and are committed to ensuring our franchisees have the resources they need to maintain compliance with all U.S. labor laws," McDonald’s USA Chief People Officer Tiffanie Boyd said in a statement.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
