The United States fined McDonald’s for illegally employing 300 minors, including two ten-year-olds

The United States Department of Labor fined three franchises McDonald’s fast food chain after they confirmed that 305 minors, including two ten-year-old children, were working illegally.

The fine, amounting to $212,544 (€191,829), was imposed on three franchises that operated 62 stores in the states Kentucky, Indiana, Maryland and Ohioas reported by Europa Press.

Namely, two 10-year-olds worked until the early hours of the morning without any monetary compensation and operated dangerous machines, such as deep fryers, which the American labor law prohibits for children under 16 years of age.

Other minors, many of them between the ages of 14 and 15, worked more hours than allowed for their age, a maximum of three on a school day, and their hours started earlier and ended later than allowed. minors.. Some even worked during school hours.

A ten-year-old boy works in the kitchen

District Director of the Louisville, Kentucky Wage and Hour Department, Karen Garnett Civils, complained that “employers too often violate child labor laws that protect young workers.”

“A 10-year-old child should not under any circumstances work in a fast food kitchen around hot grills, ovens and fryers. We are witnessing an increase in violations of the federal child labor law,” he condemned.

For his part, one of the supervisors of one of the chains stated that two ten-year-olds came to the bar to visit their father, the night supervisor, according to the press release. He also wanted to clarify that “every work was done under the supervision and with the presence of the father”, adding that they did not have any authority from superiors.