The U.S. Department of Labor announced that a North Carolina Chick-Fil-A franchisee was recently fined for multiple violations.
Officials said investigators found that Good Name 22:1 LLC, which operates as a Chick-fil-A in Hendersonville, N.C., allegedly asked certain employees directing traffic to work for meal vouchers instead of wages in April. They added that this violated the minimum wage provisions of the FLSA.
According to officials, the store also violated federal child labor regulations that prohibit employing minors to perform hazardous jobs by allowing three workers younger than 18 to operate, load, or unload a trash compactor.
“Protecting our youngest workers continues to be a top priority for the Wage and Hour Division,” said Wage and Hour Division District Director Richard Blaylock. “Child labor laws ensure that when young people work, the work does not jeopardize their health, well-being, or educational opportunities. In addition, employers are responsible to pay workers for all the hours worked, and the payment must be made in cash or legal tender.”
In total, the franchisee was reportedly fined $6,450 to address the child labor violations and asked to pay $235 to seven employees for the wages owed to them.
The Chick-fil-A restaurant is the same location that received backlash in July after posting a ‘volunteer-based opportunity’ for drive-thru workers to be paid with food instead of wages. The position was supposed to be compensated with five entrees per 1-hour shift, but the post was deleted, and a spokesperson for Chick-fil-A said they ended the program.
