McDonald’s franchises fined for child labor violations

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Federal officials say two 10-year-olds are among the 300 children who worked at a McDonald’s restaurants in Kentucky with no or little pay. The Labor Department says its fining the owners of three Louisville franchises a total of $212,000 following its investigation into wage theft and underage work by minors. One of franchise owners says in a statement that the 10-year-olds were just visiting a parent on the night shift. The agency the owners employed 24 minors under 16 to work more hours than legally permitted. The investigations are part of an ongoing effort by the Labor Department’s Wage and Hour Division to stop child labor abuses in the Southeast region. McDonald’s called the reports unacceptable and deeply troubling.