It's restaurants like Burger King that help keep Wisconsin afloat.
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The Cheesehead hats during Green Bay Packers games should be a dead giveaway. The chilly Midwestern state has a long history in the dairy and meat-packing industries. Your Whopper with Cheese has to come from somewhere, right?
However, the state's Department of Workforce Development (DWD) is suing a Burger King franchise operator for more than $1 million. We have the reason why below.
The Burger King Franchisee Violated Child Labor Laws
According to a Fox Business report, the DWD says that Cave Enterprises Operations LLC committed over 1,600 violations of state child labor and wage-payment laws over a two-year period ending in January 2025. The Illinois-based company is operates 105 Burger Kings in Wisconsin.
Officials have said that the case is the "largest determination of child labor and wage payment violations in modern Wisconsin history."
The DWD says more than 600 children were affected. The agency shared that nearly 600 employees aged 14-15 were working without the required permits.
Also, 627 minor employees worked shifts of six hours or more without the legally required meal break. Additionally, hundreds of workers under 16 worked outside permitted hours or exceeded the limits for school-age workers.
This Could Cost the Franchisee a Lot of Money
Under the determination, Cave Enterprises must pay over $237,000 in unpaid regular, overtime, and penalty wages directly to the affected employees. The DWD said that workers are also entitled to liquidated damages of up to 200% of lost wages under state law.
The agency is also seeking civil penalties of up to $828,000. That is $500 per violation. That brings the company's potential exposure to over $1 million.
The agency has offered to settle the suit if Cave Enterprises pays the wages owed to workers. It must also pay the civil penalty within 20 days of receiving the determination letters.
"Here in Wisconsin, we have a proud history of making sure workers are treated with dignity and respect, and that's especially true when it comes to our kids," said Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers. "We have a responsibility to make sure kids who are working are protected from exploitation, predatory employer practices, and being subjected to hazardous or illegal working conditions."
