A McDonald's franchisee which operates 9 locations in Kentucky and one in Indiana was fined $40,000 after a Department of Labor investigation found that it had employed 10-year-old children.
The investigation found that the children were not paid and sometimes worked as late as 2 a.m. They also "prepared and distributed food orders, cleaned the store, worked at the drive-thru window and operated a register." One child was even allowed to operate the deep fryer, which is prohibited for workers under the age of 16. The owner of Bauer Food said the children were there visiting their parent, who works as a night manager, and any work they may have performed while there was at the direction of their parent.
The investigation also found that Bauer Foods employed 24 minors under the age of 16 to work more than legally permitted hours. The Labor Department says it has seen a 69% increase in children being employed illegally by companies since 2018. (CBS News)