FARMINGTON HILLS, Mich. – A Little Caesars restaurant in Farmington Hills had to pay over $26,000 in penalties after it allegedly allowed minors to work late on school nights and operate dangerous equipment, federal officials said.
An investigation revealed that JMP Pizza Inc. employed five children illegally at the restaurant.
The franchisee allegedly allowed a child under 16 to use an oven 500 and 900 degrees Fahrenheit and let them use a dough mixer, according to a release from the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division.
In a statement, Little Caesars said, “We’re committed to upholding the highest standards among our franchisee community. We’re disappointed to learn that a single independently owned and operated franchise was found to be in violation of these regulations. This is a very rare occurrence, and we are proud to provide work experience and opportunities to young people in a fair and safe manner in our restaurants.”
Federal child labor laws prohibit employees younger than 16 from any baking activities, and they can only be involved in a few cooking-related tasks.
In addition to this, the restaurant allegedly let three 15-year-olds work past 7 p.m. on school nights, which is prohibited by law.
Minors ages 14 and 15 can’t work later than 7 p.m. between the day after Labor Day and May 31, or after 9 p.m. from June 1 through Labor Day, according to the release.
They also can’t work more than eight hours on a non-school day, or 40 in a week when school isn’t in session. During the school year, they can only work up to three hours on a school day, which includes Fridays, and no more than 18 in a week.
Due to these violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act’s child labor provisions, JMP Pizza had to pay $26,341 in civil money penalties.
“Learning new skills in the workforce is an important part of growing up – but we must protect children and ensure their first jobs are safe jobs and do not interfere with their education or well-being,” said Wage and Hour Division District Director Timolin Mitchell in Detroit. “The Fair Labor Standards Act allows for safe work experiences but restricts the employment of young workers in certain jobs and during certain hours, and provides for penalties when employers do not follow the law.”
