US Department of Labor recovers $47K in back wages, damages for employees of Utah Chick-Fil-A franchisee, fines employer $187K

ST. GEORGE, UT – Federal investigators have assessed $187,467in civil penalties for employing 237 minors in violation of child labor provisions  and recovered nearly $47,000 in back wages and liquidated damages for 101 employees at two St. George Chick-Fil-A franchise restaurants that required workers to clock out for every break under 20 minutes without compensation, the U.S. Department of Labor announced today.

The department’s Wage and Hour Division assessed the restaurants’ operator, DM Holding Co. LLC with the  penalties for violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act child labor provisions. Division investigators determined the employer illegally allowed 14- and 15-year-old employees to work past permitted hours, and for too many hours in a day.

The employer also incurred overtime violations by not including the missing break time when paying time and one-half the regular rate-of- pay for hours over 40 in a workweek. 

“We know that good and safe jobs can give young workers meaningful experience and training, but employers must ensure they follow all federal labor laws,” explained Wage and Hour Division District Director Kevin Hunt in Salt Lake City. “Employers must also comply with federal laws that protect workers’ rights to their full wages and make sure that young employees’ work experience does not interfere with their education. Child labor violations and the failure to pay for all hour of work as well as overtime had costly consequences for this Chick-Fil-A franchisee in St. George.”

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. The division protects workers regardless of immigration status and can communicate with workers in more than 200 languages.

The YouthRules! initiative promotes positive and safe work experiences for teens by providing information about protections for young workers to youth, parents, employers, and educators. Through this initiative, the U.S. Department of Labor and its partners promote good and safe jobs that help prepare young workers to enter the workforce. The Wage and Hour Division has also published Seven Child Labor Best Practices for Employers to help employers comply with the law. Learn more about the Fair Labor Standards Act’s child labor provisions.