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McDonald's franchisee fined for violating child labor laws

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December 6, 2022

A Pittsburgh-based McDonald's franchisee violated child labor laws and must pay $57,000 in fines, according to a report in The Washington Post.

Franchisee Santonastasso Enterprises, helmed by owners John and Kathleen Santonastasso, hired employees ages 14 and 15 and allowed them to work more than three hours a day and after 7 p.m. on school days. The teens were also allowed to work past 9 p.m. in the summer and allowed to work for more than eight hours a day on the weekends and more than 18 hours a week during school week, according to a Department of Labor investigation.

"Permitting young workers to work excessive hours can jeopardize their safety, well-being and education," John DuMont, a labor department official, told the news outlet. "Employers who hire young workers must understand and comply with federal child labor laws or face costly consequences."

The Labor Department fined the franchisee $57,000 for the violations.

The Santonastassos said they've implemented new scheduling practices to ensure the violations don't happen again.

"We take our role as a local employer very seriously and we regret any scheduling issues that may have occurred at our restaurants," John and Kathleen Santonastasso said in a statement.

McDonald's did not respond to The Washington Post's request for comment.