Following State Child Labor Inspections, A Food Service Company Lost $105K

According to Gov. Kathy Hochul’s office, the state Department of Labour is looking into allegations of child labor at New York companies as part of a program to safeguard minors who are employed there.

Following 145 business inspections by the department for child labor violations, fines totaling $105,000 were assessed. 

At Wendy’s restaurant in Staten Island, the department discovered several violations of child labor laws in 2021, including allowing minors to work during school hours, late into the evenings, or longer shifts than permitted by law on a daily and weekly basis. Following an anonymous complaint about the Staten Island location, the department audited Princeton Food Services LLC, which led to the company paying $105,000 in fines.

Hochul said in a statement that “New York State continues to build on our efforts to make our state the safest in the nation for all workers—particularly child workers.” With these new initiatives, we are reiterating our commitment to putting an end to harmful child labor practices and making the workplace safer for everyone.

As part of the department’s work with the Child Labour Task Force, which was announced earlier this year, the Labour Department has a new online complaint form for people to report violations. The task force was introduced by Hochul in March in response to an increase in child labor violations. 

On the department’s website, a child labor hub recently went live with information for employers to help them better comply with federal and state child labor laws. A scheduling template, a sample work schedule, a guide to color-coding scheduling, and online tutorial videos are also included.

According to the governor’s office, the department’s Division of Labour Standards continues to look into alleged violations of child labor laws, which include requiring workers between the ages of 14 and 17 to have working papers to be employed in the state, adhering to minimum wage laws, and prohibiting minors from performing particular tasks at jobs deemed dangerous.

Roberta Reardon, the commissioner of the labor department, stated that “our children are the future of New York State and must be protected as they begin their journey into the world of work.” The strongest safeguards for minors working are found in New York State. Any company breaking the law will be located and swiftly prosecuted. I urge young people in our workforce and their parents to be aware of their rights and to report wrongdoing if they believe they have been victimized.