Wisconsin officers say a Burger King franchisee dedicated greater than 1,600 youngster labor violations throughout the state, calling it the most important 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 youngster labor and wage violations affecting lots of of minors throughout the state.
The Wisconsin Division of Workforce Improvement (DWD) stated Cave Enterprises Operations LLC, an Illinois-based firm that operates 105 Burger King franchises in Wisconsin, dedicated not less than 1,656 violations of state youngster 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 response to DWD, the violations affected greater than 600 kids. The company discovered that 593 workers ages 14 and 15 had been allowed to start work with out the required youngster labor permits, 627 minor workers labored shifts of six hours or extra with out legally required meal breaks, and lots of of minors beneath age 16 labored exterior permitted hours or exceeded limits for school-age staff.
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A Burger King location in Wisconsin. (FOX 6)
Gov. Tony Evers stated 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 staff are handled with dignity and respect, and that’s very true with regards to our youngsters,” Evers stated. “We now have a duty to ensure children who’re working are protected against exploitation, predatory employer practices, and being subjected to hazardous or unlawful working situations.”
Evers, a Democrat, criticized Republican lawmakers, arguing they weakened youngster 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 data that confirmed 33 separate youngster labor and wage cost complaints in opposition to particular person Cave Enterprises franchises between 2020 and 2023. The company reviewed employment data associated to minors from Jan. 1, 2023, by Jan. 25, 2025, earlier than issuing a proper dedication letter.
Burger King emblem at a shopping center. (Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto by way of Getty Photos)
Underneath the dedication, Cave Enterprises should pay $237,437.29 in unpaid common wages, additional time wages and penalty wages on to affected workers. DWD stated staff are additionally entitled to liquidated damages of as much as 200% of misplaced wages beneath 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 convey the corporate’s complete potential publicity to greater than $1 million.
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State officers stated 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 youngster labor and wage points at greater than a dozen areas.
DWD stated it has supplied to resolve the matter with out court docket motion if Cave Enterprises pays each the wages owed to staff and the civil penalty inside 20 days of receiving the dedication letters. The penalty dedication letter might be issued individually from the wage dedication.
An exterior view of a Burger King quick meals restaurant in Danville, Pennsylvania. (Paul Weaver/SOPA Photos/LightRocket by way of Getty Photos)
If Cave Enterprises fails to make well timed funds, DWD stated it would pursue enforcement by the Wisconsin Division of Justice, and the ultimate penalty quantity can be decided by a court docket, ought to a ruling go in opposition to the corporate.
State officers additionally ordered Cave Enterprises to instantly come into compliance with Wisconsin’s Employment of Minors legal guidelines and associated rules, warning the corporate may face extra penalties for any future violations.
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Cave Enterprises Operations LLC didn’t instantly reply to FOX Enterprise’ request for remark.
