McDonald’s Seeks Tighter Child-Labor Compliance by Franchisees
- Operators across the US were fined this year for violations
- Regulators are placing increased attention on minor employment
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McDonald’s Corp. will survey its US franchisees about their child-labor practices — a step toward tightening compliance following a series of violations by restaurant operators.
The US Department of Labor fined franchisees in Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Louisiana and Texas this year after the agency found minors operating dangerous equipment and working longer-than-allowed hours. In one case, a 15-year-old suffered hot oil burns while using a deep fryer that didn’t have the required automatic basket to raise and lower the food. In another, two 10-year-old children were employed but not paid and worked as late as 2 a.m.