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Louisville McDonald’s employed two 10-year-olds without pay, allowed one to use deep fryer flouting laws

Per the Department of Labor, 62 McDonald's restaurants violated child labor laws, with 305 children working more than the legally permitted hours

LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY: Two 10-year-old children were found working unpaid at a McDonald's restaurant in Louisville. Apparently, the restaurant even let one of them use a deep fryer, a "prohibited task for workers under 16 years old."

The two children prepared and distributed food orders, cleaned the restaurant, and worked at the drive-thru window sometimes as late as 2 am, according to a news release by the US Department of Law. The two were employed by Bauer Food LLC, a Louisville-based operator of 10 McDonald's restaurants, who also employed 24 minors, including them, under the age of 16 and made them work more than legally permitted hours. "These children sometimes worked more hours a day or week than the law permits, whether or not school is in session," read the release. It added, "The division assessed $39,711 in civil money penalties to address the child labor violations" after learning that one child operated a deep fryer. Wage and Hour Division District Director Karen Garnett-Civils in Louisville, Kentucky, said, “Too often, employers fail to follow the child labor laws that protect 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.”

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Who owns Bauer Food LLC?

The Bauer Food franchise is owned by Sean Bauer. He said that the children were there to visit their parent, who works as a night manager, as stated by CBS News. The two were not allowed to be in that part of the restaurant as per the franchisee organization management's rules. The work they did was at the direction of, and in the presence of, the parent.

Officials say Bauer Foods employed 24 employees under the age of 16, including two aged 10. Under US law, the minimum working age is 14. According to the Department of Labor, a total of 62 McDonald's restaurants were found to have violated child labor laws as they employed 305 children to work more than the legally permitted hours. They are run by three franchises, including Bauer Food LLC. The other two are Archways Richmond LLC, a Walton-based operator of 27 McDonald’s locations; and Bell Restaurant Group LLC, a Louisville-based operator of four McDonald’s locations and part of Brdancat Management Inc, an enterprise that includes Jesse Bell I, Jesse Bell V and Bell Restaurant Group II, which operates an additional 20 locations in Maryland, Indiana, and Kentucky.

As per the release, Archways Richwood LLC "allowed 242 minors between age 14 and 15 to work beyond the allowable hours. Most worked earlier or later in the day than the law permits and more than three hours on school days. The division assessed the employer with $143,566 in civil money penalties for their violations." Meanwhile, Bell Restaurant Group I LLC "allowed 39 workers – ages 14 and 15 – to work outside of and for more hours than the law permits. Some of these children worked more than the daily and weekly limits during school days and school weeks, and the employer allowed two of them to work during school hours." The division assessed the employer $29,267 in civil money penalties.

'Increase in child labor violations'

Speaking about the violations, Garnett-Civils said, “We are seeing an increase in federal child labor violations, including allowing minors to operate equipment or handle types of work that endangers them or employs them for more hours or later in the day than federal law allows. An employer who hires young workers must know the rules. An employer, parent, or young worker with questions can contact us for help understanding their obligations and rights under the law.” He further added, “One child injured at work is one too many. Child labor laws exist to ensure that when young people work, the job does not jeopardize their health, well-being, or education."

In June 2022, a 15-year-old McDonald's employee in Morristown suffered serious oil burns while using a deep fryer, per the department. A press release stated, "Faris Enterprises of TN LLC, operator of the McDonald’s location at 2505 East Morris Blvd, illegally allowed the minor to cook french fries using a hot oil deep fryer without an automatic basket to lower and raise its contents. The division determined the 15-year-old worker was removing the food from the fryer manually when they were burned."

'Unacceptable and deeply troubling'

On the other hand, Tiffanie Boyd, senior vice president and chief people officer at McDonald's USA, said, as per Insider, "These reports are unacceptable, deeply troubling and run afoul of the high expectations we have for the entire McDonald's brand. It is not lost on us the significant responsibility we carry to ensure a positive and safe experience for everyone under the Arches. As a mother whose teenage son proudly worked at our local McDonald's, I feel this on a very personal level. 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."

Many took to Twitter to express their views regarding the report. One wrote, "Labour explotación of minors, should be penalized, don’t understand this big corporations who make millions and millions of profits." Another wrote, "Shocked—SHOCKED—that two of the most poorly-run McDs locations I've ever visited are on this list." Someone else said, "That fine amount is nothing more than a slap on the wrist. Start hitting them hard. The amounts need to be high enough to be a deterrent."

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