Nation

Nation's Largest Bojangles Franchisee Agrees to Address Child Labor Violations

The young employees’ work schedules and hazardous duties went against regulations.

  • By Robert Yaniz Jr.
  • Jan 11, 2024

In response to findings by the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division, BOJ of WNC LLC—the largest Bojangles franchisee in the nation—has entered an enhanced compliance agreement and will pay a civil money penalty of $27,586. 

According to a DOL release dated Jan. 9, the agreement follows violations of federal child labor laws at a Bojangles location in Powell, Tennessee. Investigations revealed that BOJ of WNC employed 13 children at the Powell restaurant after 7 p.m., exceeding the legally allowed hours during a school day and violating child labor provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act. 

Additionally, the franchisee assigned three 15-year-olds to operate an oven and a manual grease fryer, tasks identified as hazardous for young workers. This marks the second time in less than two years that the division cited BOJ of WNC for similar violations. The earlier case, in Spartanburg, South Carolina, affected 16-year-old workers and resulted in a civil penalty.

“While learning new workforce skills is a valuable part of growing up, an employer must never jeopardize the safety and well-being of young workers or interfere with their education,” Wage and Hour Division Regional Administrator Juan Coria in Atlanta said in a statement. “The Fair Labor Standards Act allows young people to gain appropriate work experience but includes important restrictions on work hours and job duties. Employers must avoid violations or potentially face costly consequences, and to help, we encourage them to use the division’s child labor compliance resources or contact our staff for guidance.”

As part of the compliance agreement, BOJ of WNC will implement several measures to enhance future adherence to child labor laws. These include restricting 14- and 15-year-olds from using manual fryers, refraining from employing them outside legally prescribed hours and distributing information about child labor provisions to all Bojangles locations the company owns.

About the Author

Robert Yaniz Jr. is the Content Editor of Occupational Health & Safety.

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