TROY (WWJ) - An investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) Wage and Hour Division found a Metro Detroit Popeyes franchise had teen employees working excessive hours while school was in session.
The DOL said in a press release that the investigation revealed 63 teens -- between the ages of 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 hours are a direct violation of those allowed by the Fair Labor Standards Act’s (FLSA) child labor standards. The DOL fined the Popeyes franchise $48,251 in penalties for the violations.
“Far too often, we find teens working hours that are not allowed by the Fair Labor Standards Act,” said Wage and Hour District Director Timolin Mitchell in Detroit. “Child labor laws were enacted nearly a century ago to protect children. Employers that hire teen labor must ensure they follow the law while allowing teens to earn valuable work experience.”
According to the DOL, 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.
The teen workers also cannot work more than three hours on a school day, eight hours on a non-school day or more than 18 hours a week.
The law also prohibits minors from operating motor vehicles, forklifts and using other hazardous equipment.
"In February 2023, the department announced the creation of an Interagency Task Force to Combat Child Labor Exploitation to better align federal efforts to protect children from exploitative situations in the workplace," the DOL said in a prepared statement. "In fiscal year 2023, department investigators identified child labor violations in 955 cases and assessed employers with more than $8 million in penalties."