The Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division cited Dirty Al’s 2 Inc., operator of Dirty Al’s at Pelican Station in Port Isabel, for child labor violations. The restaurant, which bills itself as the “best seafood” in the town, employed 8 minors, including children as young as 14 or 15 to work as hostesses and bussers. According to this Fact Sheet, the Fair Labor Standard Act (FSLA) permits these youngsters to work in a restaurant, with guidelines. And those guidelines where the restaurant got it wrong. They’re being fined $6,328 in civil money penalties.
Minors worked extended hours
Pelican Station required its minor employees to work longer hours than permitted, whether the children were in school or worked on non-school days and holidays. Under federal law, children of 14 or 15 years may work “no more than 3 hours on a school day, and not more than 8 hours on a non-school day. In addition, 14 and 15 year olds may not work more than 18 hours during a school week. Children those ages are also only permitted to work from 7 am to 7 pm, except through the summer months, when they can work until 9 pm.
Know child labor laws for your location
About 160,000 children are injured each year. About half of those injuries are serious enough for emergency room treatment. Work experiences as a young teenager contribute a great deal to a child’s development. The U.S. Department of Labor is committed to ensuring that youth have a positive experience. About 160,000 children are injured each year. About half of those injuries are serious enough for emergency room treatment.
Federal laws also dictate what types of jobs minors can and can’t do. Some states also have laws that regulate young workers’ employment. According to the Dept. of Labor, when both federal and state laws apply, the law that is stricter is to be applied. Don’t jeopardize the health, safety, and education of younger workers. Employers can find more information about child labor laws with the Department of Labor.
Dawn Brotherton is a Sr. Staff Writer at The American Genius with an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Central Oklahoma. She is an experienced business writer with over 10 years of experience in SEO and content creation. Since 2017, she has earned $60K+ in grant writing for a local community center, which assists disadvantaged adults in the area.
