A McDonald’s franchisee in Kentucky is now in hot water after being caught violating federal labour laws by employing children as young as 10 years old as unpaid workers. These young individuals were found performing tasks such as food preparation, order distribution, manning the Drive-Thru window, and operating the cash register. Shockingly, their work extended into the late hours of the night, with some children labouring until as late as 2 a.m.
Further investigation revealed that this particular McDonald’s store employed 24 minors under the age of 16, who worked more hours than legally permitted. This is however more shocking since these children were working well past midnight at times up to 2 in the morning. This is an issue that raises many eyebrows. Employees who worked longer hours as compared to the legal requirements of their employers, proved that the regulations intended to safeguard young workers have been blatantly abused.
However, with regard to ATF, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, also has its own fair share of mistakes. The company has been overpaying a few of its employees for nearly $20 million.
The problem? They had classified more than a hundred workers as law enforcement personnel, so they were paying them extra money and retirement benefits. This was not a one-time thing, it had gone on for over five years. Some brave whistleblowers from the HR department of ATF have exposed such a situation.
These two cases highlight the importance of following the rules and promoting fair dealing in the organization. From kids working late hours in fast food outlets to employees being over-compensated, it is essential that organizations stick to the rules and ensure fairness prevails.
