McDonald's franchises face more than $200,000 in fines for child-labor law violations

Federal investigators say they found more than 300 minors, including two 10-year-olds, were working illegally, the Labor Department said in a statement Tuesday, May 2, 2023. (Keith Srakocic/AP)

Three McDonald's franchisees are being fined more than $200,000 after breaking federal child labor laws, including employing, but not paying two 10-year-olds, the Department of Labor said Tuesday.

Bauer Food, Archways Richwood and Bell Restaurant Group – which operate 62 locations across Kentucky, Indiana, Maryland and Ohio – collectively had 305 minors working at their restaurants illegally, the agency found.