News Release
US Department of Labor finds Chuck E. Cheese exposed minor-aged worker to hazardous machine, incurred recordkeeping violations at Bronx location
NEW YORK – A 17-year-old employee of a Bronx Chuck E. Cheese/Pasqually’s Pizza & Wings restaurant set up, operated and cleaned a power-driven dough mixer – all in violation of federal child labor regulations, a U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division investigation has found.
Federal law prohibits workers under age 18 from operating hazardous equipment, performing certain hazardous jobs or working excessive hours. The prohibition includes operating dough and batter mixers, meat slicers and other power-driven bakery and meat-processing equipment.
Owned and operated by CEC Entertainment LLC – and doing business as Chuck E. Cheese – the restaurant on East Gunhill Road also failed to record the birth date for one minor employee. The Irving, Texas-based restaurant chain operator paid $2,285 in civil money penalties for violations cited.
“Putting minors at risk by allowing them to perform tasks or to work with hazardous equipment is serious business,” said Wage and Hour Division District Director Jorge R. Alvarez in New York City. “Part-time employment should give young workers the opportunity to gain useful experience in a safe work environment and not allow work to interfere with studies. We urge employers, parents and young workers to contact the Wage and Hour Division for assistance in understanding and complying with the law.”
View child labor information for employers, parents, young workers and educators.
CEC Entertainment LLC and its franchisees operate a system of approximately 550 Chuck E. Cheese and more than 110 Peter Piper Pizza venues, in locations in 47 states and 16 foreign countries and territories. Pasqually’s Pizza & Wings are a delivery only brand owned by CEC.
For more information about the FLSA, youth employment and other laws enforced by the division, contact the agency’s toll-free helpline at 866-4US-WAGE (487-9243). Learn more about the Wage and Hour Division, including a search tool to use if you think you may be owed back wages collected by the division. Workers can call the Wage and Hour Division confidentially with questions – regardless of their immigration status – and the department can speak with callers in more than 200 languages.
