CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A Chick-fil-A franchise operator in Hendersonville, North Carolina, is in trouble after federal regulators said the restaurant illegally paid some workers with meal vouchers instead of cash under the guise of a "volunteer" program.
The U.S. Department of Labor said the owner broke child labor laws by starting a volunteer program that offered free entrees instead of minimum wage, as required by law. The DOL said these employees were asked to direct traffic while working their shifts.
In addition to illegally paying these workers, the franchisee was also found to have violated child labor regulations by having teenagers operate dangerous equipment, including a trash compactor.
The franchisee was fined $6,450 by the Department of Labor for those violations. Seven employees were awarded $235 in back wages, according to a news release. Chick-fil-A said the program was not endorsed by the company.
The violation is not the first by a Chick-fil-A franchisee. Another restaurant operator in Florida paid over $12,000 in fines in August 2022 after regulators found it had 17 teenage employees working past 7 p.m. and more than three hours on school days.
Wake Up Charlotte To Go is a daily news and weather podcast you can listen to so you can start your day with the team at Wake Up Charlotte.
SUBSCRIBE: Apple Podcasts || Spotify || Stitcher || TuneIn || Google Podcasts
All of WCNC Charlotte's podcasts are free and available for both streaming and download. You can listen now on Android, iPhone, Amazon, and other internet-connected devices. Join us from North Carolina, South Carolina, or on the go anywhere.