Child Labour at McDonald’s: Two 10 year olds found working late night shift without pay

McDonald's has been accused of labour exploitation and violations of workers' rights in the past. It has faced criticism for its employment practices, including low wages, inadequate working conditions, and limited benefits. 

In the United States, it is illegal for children to be working, with or without pay. In the case of children and teenagers, there are strict regulations governing the number of hours they can work and the types of jobs they can perform. However, despite these laws and regulations, there have been instances where children and teenagers have been exploited while working at McDonald's.

Recently, it was discovered that two 10-year-old kids had been working unpaid shifts at a McDonald's in the US, often until two in the morning.

The information was discovered as a result of a US Department of Labour investigation, which revealed that 62 McDonald's locations across the country violated the law on child employment, incurring fines of more than US$200,000.

The issue of exploiting children working for the benefit of a multi-million company is not new, and is certainly not unique to McDonald's alone. Other fast food chains have been accused of exploiting individuals in need of money and putting them under unhealthy working conditions. They may be exposed to hazardous chemicals, hot cooking surfaces, and other dangers that can lead to injury or illness. Even in the recent case of ten year olds, it was found that they were asked to work with deep fryers, which is illegal for anyone below the age of 16 in the United States.

“I know how important it is that every restaurant fosters a culture of safety. As a mother whose teenage son proudly worked at our local McDonald’s, I feel this on a very personal level. We are committed to ensuring our franchisees have the resources they need to foster safe workplaces for all employees and maintain compliance with all labour laws,” said Tiffanie Boyd, McDonald’s senior vice-president and chief people officer.

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