Missouri Wendy’s fast food franchisee fined $160K for using child labor

An investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor uncovered federal child labor law violations at local Wendy’s restaurant locations in nine states, including Missouri.

Missouri locations cited include Wendy’s and Fazoli’s locations in Ballwin, Lake Saint Louis, St. Charles and O’Fallon.

Manna Inc., a franchisee of Wendy’s and Fazoli’s restaurants, allowed 14- and 15-year-old employees to work outside of legally approved hours and for more hours than approved by law, the Department of Labor said.

Overall, Manna violated child labor requirements at 99 of its Wendy’s and Fazoli’s restaurants nationwide, the investigation said.

The investigation also found 466 minors whose work violated these rules in Colorado, Florida, Kansas, Kentucky, Minnesota, Nebraska, Tennessee and Wisconsin. More than one-third of those minors were working in a Wisconsin franchise.

Manna Inc.—a franchisee based in Louisville, Ky., that owns nearly 100 Wendy’s and Fazoli’s eateries—was hit with a $157,411 civil penalty for violating the child labor part of the Fair Labor Standards Act.

The Fair Labor Standards Act bars minors from working before 7 a.m. or after 7 p.m. on school nights, working more than three hours on a school day or more than eight hours on a non-school day.

“Child labor laws exist to ensure that when young people work, the work does not jeopardize their health and well-being or educational opportunities,” Wage and Hour Division District Director Karen Garnett-Civils said in a news release. “We encourage all employers to review their employment obligations and to contact the Wage and Hour Division for compliance assistance.”