McDonald's in Louisville found to have worked 10-year-olds till 2 AM

Are you entering the sixth grade and ready to enter the labor force? Forget studying for your math quiz — this opportunity will allow you to flip burgers till 2 AM, and do it without getting paid!

Enticing for any 10-year-old, I know. And one local McDonald’s in Kentucky presented that golden offer to not one, but two kids, the US Department of Labor announced this week.

An investigation into child labor laws found that three franchisees owning over 60 McDonald’s locations across Kentucky, Indiana, Maryland and Ohio “employed 305 children to work more than the legally permitted hours and perform tasks prohibited by law for young workers.”

Tough look, right? How about a Louisville location being at the center of the most damning details overall?

“Bauer Food LLC, a Louisville-based operator of 10 McDonald’s locations, employed 24 minors under age 16 to work more than legally permitted hours,” the release states. “These children sometimes worked more hours a day or week than the law permits, whether or not school is in session. Investigators also determined two 10-year-old children were employed – but not paid – and sometimes worked as late as 2 a.m. Below the minimum age for employment, they prepared and distributed food orders, cleaned the store, worked at the drive-thru window and operated a register.

“The division also learned that one of the two children was allowed to operate a deep fryer, a prohibited task for workers under 16 years old. The division assessed $39,711 in civil money penalties to address the child labor violations.”

Minor-aged employees (14- and 15-year-olds) are allowed to work outside of school hours, but no more than three hours on a school day — including Fridays — and no more than eight hours on a non-school day. Hours cannot exceed 18 total during a school week and no more than 40 during a non-school week. And work hours cannot take place earlier than 7 a.m. or later than 7 p.m., except between June 1 and Labor Day when the evening hour is extended to 9 p.m.

2 AM for 10-year-olds? Missed it by that much.

“Too often, employers fail to follow the child labor laws that protect young workers,” explained Wage and Hour Division District Director Karen Garnett-Civils in Louisville, Kentucky. “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.”

CNN reports that the 10-year-olds were children of a night manager who were visiting their parent at work and not approved to be in that part of the restaurant.

“These reports are unacceptable, deeply troubling and run afoul of the high expectations we have for the entire McDonald’s brand,” Tiffanie Boyd, senior vice president and chief people officer at McDonald’s USA, told CNN. “… We are committed to ensuring our franchisees have the resources they need to foster safe workplaces for all employees and maintain compliance with all labor laws.”

The three franchisees involved face a combined $212,754 in civil money penalties for child labor law violations.

Whoops.