Wisconsin officers say a Burger King franchisee dedicated greater than 1,600 little one labor violations throughout the state, calling it the biggest such case in fashionable state historical past. (FOX 6)
Wisconsin officers are looking for greater than $1 million from a Burger King franchise operator after figuring out the corporate dedicated greater than 1,600 little one labor and wage violations affecting lots of of minors throughout the state.
The Wisconsin Division of Workforce Growth (DWD) mentioned Cave Enterprises Operations LLC, an Illinois-based firm that operates 105 Burger King franchises in Wisconsin, dedicated no less than 1,656 violations of state little one labor and wage cost legal guidelines throughout a two-year interval ending in January 2025.
State officers described the case because the “largest dedication of kid labor and wage cost violations in fashionable Wisconsin historical past.”
In line with DWD, the violations affected greater than 600 youngsters. The company discovered that 593 workers ages 14 and 15 had been allowed to start work with out the required little one labor permits, 627 minor workers labored shifts of six hours or extra with out legally required meal breaks, and lots of of minors below age 16 labored exterior permitted hours or exceeded limits for school-age employees.
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A Burger King location in Wisconsin. (FOX 6)
Gov. Tony Evers mentioned the enforcement motion displays the state’s duty to guard minors within the workforce.
“Right here in Wisconsin, we now have a proud historical past of constructing certain employees are handled with dignity and respect, and that’s very true in terms of our youngsters,” Evers mentioned. “We now have a duty to ensure children who’re working are shielded from exploitation, predatory employer practices, and being subjected to hazardous or unlawful working situations.”
Evers, a Democrat, criticized Republican lawmakers, arguing they weakened little one labor protections within the state, whereas saying his administration is dedicated to holding employers accountable.
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DWD’s Equal Rights Division opened its investigation after reviewing division information that confirmed 33 separate little one labor and wage cost complaints towards particular person Cave Enterprises franchises between 2020 and 2023. The company reviewed employment information associated to minors from Jan. 1, 2023, by Jan. 25, 2025, earlier than issuing a proper dedication letter.
Burger King brand at a shopping center. (Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto through Getty Pictures)
Underneath the dedication, Cave Enterprises should pay $237,437.29 in unpaid common wages, time beyond regulation wages and penalty wages on to affected workers. DWD mentioned employees are additionally entitled to liquidated damages of as much as 200% of misplaced wages below state regulation.
Along with wages owed to workers, DWD is looking for civil penalties of as much as $828,000 — calculated at $500 per violation — which might carry the corporate’s whole potential publicity to greater than $1 million.
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State officers mentioned the elevated penalty displays the pervasive nature of the violations throughout a number of franchise areas, the massive variety of minors affected, violations of a number of statutory provisions, and the corporate’s prior enforcement historical past involving little one labor and wage points at greater than a dozen areas.
DWD mentioned it has supplied to resolve the matter with out courtroom motion if Cave Enterprises pays each the wages owed to employees and the civil penalty inside 20 days of receiving the dedication letters. The penalty dedication letter will probably be issued individually from the wage dedication.
An exterior view of a Burger King quick meals restaurant in Danville, Pennsylvania. (Paul Weaver/SOPA Pictures/LightRocket through Getty Pictures)
If Cave Enterprises fails to make well timed funds, DWD mentioned it would pursue enforcement by the Wisconsin Division of Justice, and the ultimate penalty quantity could be decided by a courtroom, ought to a ruling go towards the corporate.
State officers additionally ordered Cave Enterprises to right away come into compliance with Wisconsin’s Employment of Minors legal guidelines and associated rules, warning the corporate may face further penalties for any future violations.
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Cave Enterprises Operations LLC didn’t instantly reply to FOX Enterprise’ request for remark.
