Fast food company cited for child labor law infractions

Posted at 4:30 p.m. on January 21, 2020

The Brillion News

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – After an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD), Manna Inc. – a Louisville, Kentucky-based franchisee of 99 Wendy’s and Fazoli’s restaurants in nine states – will pay a civil money penalty of $157,114 for violating child labor requirements of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

Forty of the restaurants with violations are in Wisconsin. The Wisconsin violations involved 169 minor employees.

Five of the restaurants here were Fazoli's outlets; the remainder were Wendy's.

WHD investigators determined Manna Inc. violated child labor requirements by allowing 14- and 15-year-old employees to work outside of legally approved hours, and for more hours than allowed by law. Investigators found 446 minors worked before 7 a.m. or after 7 p.m. on school nights, worked more than three hours on a school day or worked more than eight hours on a non-school day – all FLSA violations.

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

WHD investigators found the violations at restaurant locations in Colorado, Florida, Kansas, Kentucky, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Tennessee and Wisconsin.

Area restaurants in Wisconsin operating in violation of child labor laws included the Fazoli's in Appleton and Wendy's restaurants in Green Bay, Ashwaubenon, Sheboygan and Manitowoc.