13 McDonald’s branches in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, were found by a federal investigation to have violated child labor laws involving 101 employees who are minors, under the age of 18.  

The US Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division discovered that 14-and-15-year-old teens work outside hours permitted for those their age. The law prohibits them from working over 3 hours a day and working after 7 pm on school days and more than 8 hours on a non-school day. A combined total of 18 hours a week during school weeks is prohibited.

The 13 branches violated all of the above-mentioned, which in turn violates the Fair Labor Standards Act.

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Wage and Hour District Director John DuMont in Pittsburgh stated, “Permitting young workers to work excessive hours can jeopardize their safety, well-being and education,” adding, “Employers who hire young workers must understand and comply with federal child labor laws or face costly consequences.”

Other violations included allowing employees under the age of 16 to handle a deep fryer that does not come with an automatic device to raise and lower the frying basket. 

Owners of Santonastasso Enterprises LLC, John and Kathleen Santonastasso who run the McDonald's franchises, paid a penalty fee of $57,332 assessed by the Wage and Hour Division. The Department found child labor violations from 2017 to 2021 in more than 4,000 cases that exposed 13,000 minor-aged employees working in violation.