Burger King Allegedly Violating Child Labor Laws
Multiple Burger King establishments are facing serious consequences for knowingly violating strict child labor laws.
Nine different Burger King locations are under investigation due to allegedly breaching child labor laws. Burger King works according to any nation’s child labor legislation and has lawfully employed people 16 and up for decades. The restaurant chain also has a few positions that 14 and 15-year-olds can apply for, like operating the cash register, cleaning, or doing prep work (but can’t use hot ovens.) Though the chain can hire children under 18 without violating federal guidelines, specific locations are under fire due to working kids for longer hours than lawfully accepted.
Several South Carolina Burger King locations are being looked into after they supposedly worked minors for too many hours. Children at these stores were being put on the schedule too often, consequently making them work shifts for extended periods. The US Department of Labor launched a rigorous investigation into nine South Carolina stores after complaints about child labor infringement surfaced. Across the stores, 26 kids between the ages of 14 and 15 were being overworked while attending school.
Burger King was found guilty of violating child labor legislation and overworking minors at their South Carolina establishments. The chain is now responsible for paying $17,966 in civil money penalties for each violation known. The state now will have specific requirements for management to fulfill before hiring a minor for a given location. Managers at each store will be required to sign an acknowledgment after reviewing a document explaining minor-labor rules. New managers will also have to undergo separate training around child labor laws. Employee handbooks will also get an update, adding a specific section about child labor laws as a helpful reference.
Minors hired at Burger King will be under more scrutiny before gaining employment. Managers must talk to the minors they employ about child labor legislation and rules, ensuring they’re aware of hourly work regulations. Both workers and managers must be mindful of how long minors can be on the floor and how many shifts they can work a week. Because of the investigation, proper information and training will be provided to workers 16 and under about how to report a labor violation in case an issue occurs.
Unfortunately for Burger King, the fast-food chain continues to have concerning events occur at their establishments this week. A small fire at one location in Florida was so severe that a few wings of the Orlando International Airport had to be evacuated. The fire ignited at 7 pm this past Wednesday between gates Gates 70 and 99. According to the airport, the local fire department quickly extinguished the fire, but smoke remained for hours after the fire had gone out. Guests were removed from the surrounding area to other parts of the airport while they waited for clearance.
Burger King is one of the most well-known fast-food chains in the world. Though it’s surprising that a restaurant chain of this stature would infringe upon child labor laws, these South Carolina stores likely did not receive proper training about scheduling minors and their hourly limits before the investigation.
