Pittsburgh McDonald’s operator fined for child labor violations

A McDonald’s franchise operator in Pennsylvania violated child labor laws, according to the Department of Labor.

Santonastasso Enterprises, which operates a number of the fast food giant’s locations around Pittsburgh, overworked 14- and 15-year-old workers, on both school days and on weekends and during the summer.

The company violated the Fair Labor Standards Act, under which teens can’t work more than three hours on a school day, more than eight hours on a non-school day, or more than 18 hours during a school week, along with several other stipulations.

The Labor Department’s investigation found 101 kids at 13 different restaurants were affected.

Santonastasso Enterprises was fined $57,332 for the violations.

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

In a statement, John and Kathleen Santonastasso said they had enacted a number of new procedures to ensure workers are scheduled properly.