TROY, Mich. – An Oakland County fast food restaurant is being fined by the U.S. Department of Labor for violating child labor laws.
The Popeyes on Rochester Road in Troy, owned by Michigan Multi-King Inc., was under investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division, which found teens working in violation of hours allowed by the Fair Labor Standards Act’s child labor standards.
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The investigation disclosed a total of 63 teens – ages 14 and 15 – worked more than 18 hours when school was in session and/or worked past 7 p.m. before June 1 and past 9 p.m. between June 1 and Labor Day.
The division assessed the employer $48,251 in civil money penalties for the violations.
In a statement, Popeyes said: “We take issues like this very seriously. When this was brought to the attention of the Franchisee who owns and operates these five restaurants in mid-2023, they fully cooperated in the investigation and took prompt action to remediate all issues identified, including terminating an individual who had accountability to comply with labor and brand standards. The franchisee is committed to ensuring strict compliance with these laws going forward.”
The FLSA prohibits 14- and 15-year-old employees from working later than 9 p.m. from June 1 through Labor Day and past 7 p.m. the remainder of the year. Additionally, they cannot work more than 3 hours on a school day, 8 hours on a non-school day or more than 18 hours per week. The law also prohibits minors from operating motor vehicles, forklifts and using other hazardous equipment.
For confidential compliance assistance, employees and employers can call the agency’s toll-free helpline at 866-4US-WAGE (487-9243), regardless of where they are from.