A McDonald’s franchisee from Louisville, Ky., has been fined after two 10-year-old children were discovered working at the fast-food joint, unpaid, sometimes until 2 a.m.
According to a news release from the U.S. Department of Labor on Tuesday, Bauer Food, LLC, which owns and operates 10 McDonald’s franchise locations, employed the two 10-year-olds but did not pay them for their work.
The minors were allegedly made to prepare and distribute food orders, clean the store, work at the drive-thru window and operate a cash register.
One of the two 10-year-olds was also permitted to operate a deep fryer, which is prohibited by state law for workers under the age of 16.