A Little Caesars restaurant in Farmington Hills is under fire for hiring minors to operate hazardous equipment and work beyond the legally permitted hours in violation of federal child labor laws, according to an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division.
JMP Pizza Inc., the franchise operator, is accused of instructing a minor under the age of 16 of using a pizza dough mixer and an oven between 500 and 900 degrees Fahrenheit. Federal law prohibits workers under the age of 16 from performing baking activities.
Federal investigators also alleges that three 15-year-old workers were allowed to work beyond 7 p.m. on school nights, which exceeds the hours permitted by child labor laws.
JMP Pizza paid $26,341 in civil penalties for violating child labor provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act.
“Learning new skills in the workforce is an important part of growing up — but we must protect children and ensure their first jobs are safe jobs and do not interfere with their education or well-being,” Tim Mitchell, Wage and Hour Division District director, said. “The Fair Labor Standards Act allows for safe work experiences but restricts the employment of young workers in certain jobs and during certain hours, and provides for penalties when employers do not follow the law.”
Under federal regulations, minors between the ages of 14 and 15 may only perform limited cooking tasks. They are also restricted in the hours they work, with no shifts exceeding three hours on a school day or 18 hours in a school week.
Between the day after Labor Day and May 31, children under the age of 16 cannot work beyond 7 p.m.
People can file a complaint with the Wage and Hour Division at dol.gov/agencies/whd/contact/complaints.
