TheFreemen
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13-17 year olds hired to clean meat processing plants using caustic chemicals. Cause that's a safe place and chemicals for kids to be working at/with...
"The department said evidence gathered during a monthslong investigation suggests that the company "may employ minor children under similar conditions at its other 400 operations across the country.""
"400 operations across the country" should = massive investigation and criminal charges for the top executives and lower levels involved.
https://www.npr.org/2022/12/07/1141139724/mcdonalds-child-labor-laws-violations-pittsburgh
Iamatinylittlebanana
Some Kids yearn for the mines some for the fries
mokzin
Imo businesses that abuse labor laws to such an extent should be fined out of ownership and forced to sell.
brakiachi
I feel like McDonald's corporate would get some good press if they removed the franchise from these owners
bobbysporncollection
And this is exactly why government regulation needs to exist.
OddlyPacific
Orphan crushing machines give work to children in poverty!
duktayp
The new McDonalds clown
TheVampireDante
That'd be a sign of improvement, Ronald is a much greater danger to people.
MightyIink
That's not a fine, that's a business expense, they will gladly pay that and keep violating the law to make even more money.
rubypilgrim
This fine might have meant something in the year McDonald's was founded. For people who can afford at least 13 McDonald's franchises, zip.
thereitis101
McDonald’s was my first job a long time ago. I started at 16 and had to close then open which was not allowed by law.
SisterMidnight
ThePunishersVengefulBrother
There is a Wendy's near my house (sir, this is a Wendy's) that is staffed by pre-pubescent children.
blondewithabrain
Report them
ThePunishersVengefulBrother
If they're there next time I go, I will
w1k2
A slap in the fucking wrist
CosplayComet
I'm glad they got caught, but that kind of money is probably what McDonalds throws away in fries per DAY.
puffcorn237
$4-600k profits per McDonald's for avg McDonald's a year
putcleverusernamehere
This couple owns 13 McDonald's in the Pittsburgh area. Multi multi multi millionaires
EndorForestSummerCamp83
A fine being the only punishment for a crime means it’s legal for a price.
Syrpynt
A flat price, not adjusted for the current economic climate*. If it were 10% of that store's profit, we'd never see this happen again.
historycat
I started working in a factory after my 8th grade year. I was told "If someone asks, you're 16". I wasn't using heavy machinery.
hakunamatatas
I'm shocked you made it out of that horrific experience alive. I assume the factory owner chained you to the factory so you couldn't leave.
grazialex
What is your problem? There are labor laws for minors for a reason. People are simply sharing how frequently these laws are broken.
hakunamatatas
Yeah, without even realizing it is illegal I'm the first place. Almost like these laws are actually silly.
hakunamatatas
In the first place* ffs phone posting
grazialex
They didn't know as minors so they are actually showing how these laws need to be more strict w/large consequences when broken.
hakunamatatas
That's absurd, do you think they were actually wronged by working slightly more than the law prescribes?
BrickShakes
At least there's enough information here to say who exactly did it, hopefully somebody throws the two a surprise party.
autocorrectfailures
Once in high school i was scheduled a 7am-10pm shift on Friday during school. My boss refused to reschedule me. These people exist lol.
hakunamatatas
Damn, did he take you from school and chain you to the workplace?
autocorrectfailures
Manager wanted to... So they wrote me up instead... Which means literally nothing unless you wanna make a career of asking 'fries w/that?'
RoBoRoCk
" " " " " people " " " " "
CatSingularity
people have been exploiting people sense farming became a thing
RevolutionOnHerLips
I wonder if slavery predates agriculture
MelismaGoodberry
I’m surprised that people are surprised.
thedudeman519
Working as intended. They want to bring it back to the good old days. When every day was "Bring your kid to work" day
DonL9
$57K? Won't somebody think of their yacht payments?!
zanaria
Those fines are a drop in the bucket compared to how much they make by hiring underage people since they can pay them less usually...
Imalwaysready
Man, we're getting a lot of use out of this one lately...
mthrndr01
A civil penalty of... less than it costs them to employ one person a year...
ToSisPoS
So the underage labour fee is set at $1100 a month.
stoots24
Lol I like the fact that I click NEXT, and a McDonald's Commercial loads up.....
BearableBear
MacDonald is a bad parent.
moonshadowkati
For a one-time payment of 50k, it's likely cheap enough that they can continue doing this.
StarSumiaki
There's something really sick about a corporation willing to pay repeated fines even up to the millions, but upping employee wages is a no.
unluckyandbored
If paying the fine is cheaper than altering the policy, they will pay the fine and continue.
brakiachi
It's a huge problem that would be fixed by actual jail time, but we have a toothless regulatory system by design
TheRicM
What's sick also is the thought that it's not just one person agreeing to all, this, but many, many people agreeing and approving
hakunamatatas
Yeah, almost like it is none of your fucking business.
TheRicM
Hahahshuthefuckup
StarSumiaki
End of day, it's still paying out money and having less revenue, but I guess the revenue loss is acceptable if it means continued cruelty.
unluckyandbored
It's an expense. If the fine is cheaper than changing the policy, they'll pay it and keep going.
nobleImaginationWrecker
It's is only important if it comes out of the pot of money that they get paid from. Fines and fees are not part of that.
JanglesPrime
The fines need to be upped to the point it actually hurts the company or they will just consider it the cost of doing business. "Our fine is
Waaaaghhumbug
Depending on the time they've been doing this, they probably saved money paying the fine, instead of the appropriate workers.
JanglesPrime
$30K bur our profits were $500k." "OK, then, the fine is now $500K."
brainmydamage
The fines should simply be equivalent to the total cash & non-cash compensation of all executives, incl. deferred. It will stop immediately.
Devilishkitty
No. Fines don't cut it. Throw them to jail.
hakunamatatas
You're actually a psychopath.
Devilishkitty
Fine isnt punishment, its a price: It tells corps that they can exploit kids/break labor laws... For a price. Real consequences are needed.
hakunamatatas
Also fines are a threat of prison as well, guess what happens when you refuse to pay them?
Devilishkitty
The issue isn't "do they pay them or not", the issue is that they shouldn't be allowed to do this "as long as they pay for it".
hakunamatatas
Dude, you're talking about people paying other people to work and you think they should be put in a cage for doing that. You're psychotic.
Devilishkitty
Youre talking about people exploiting kids and violating their rights and believe they should be allowed to do that if they pay a few bucks?
Devilishkitty
And yes. Managers who knowingly violate/press wrkrs to violate OSHA rules should get jail, because they are knowingly endangering others.
RevengeOfThePotatomancer
Wow, a whole $57332, how will they ever survive.
AMercer
Yeah, if we want the businesses to truly stop this then we need the fines to be financially crippling.
AMercer
Oh, your company violated the law? That will be $50k per instance.
philmoregraves
With a penalty that steep they won't recommit these crimes for at leat 5 minutes
Hawkgirl203
The small fine is the price they pay to exploit underage workers. And the exploited, low wage kids get what out of this? Close or be fired.
putcleverusernamehere
They'll probably be OK, they got a $350K-$1M PPP gift, I mean "loan"
putcleverusernamehere
https://www.cnn.com/projects/ppp-business-loans/businesses/santonastasso-enterprises-llc
SnailsAgainstTungstenSpheres
Oh for fucks sake I hate this capitalist dystopia
Waaaaghhumbug
They probably still made bank off of the savings of hiring older staff.. why the fuck does anyone follow the law if its cheaper not to.
JeffGodofBiscuits
Don't worry, it's only $4,400 per location.....
OperationRustysBlanket
It’s probably more than they payed the kids
IMayNotKnowWhatIAmTalkingAbout
Its only $573 per child taken advantage of, its actually MORE economical for them to break the law and pay when they get caught!
jayman0123
informational purposes, a "busy" hour in mcdonald's 20 years ago was considered $600-$1000 hour in sales depending on location. probably 1/
jayman0123
closer to $2000-$2500 dollars now so they definitely got enough money to pay it back in an hour or 2 after cost deductions.
imjustheretocontradictop
...I definitely worked longer than 8 hour shifts and later than 9pm as a 15-16 year old, in Pennsylvania, 15ish years ago
hakunamatatas
I'm surprised you're still alive. Did you make it through the horrific experience okay?
imjustheretocontradictop
I'm not saying it was horrific, more just like, hey that happened, I had no idea it was illegal until now
hakunamatatas
Yeah, it seems like of absurd doesn't it?
hakunamatatas
Kind of* fucking phone posting
Kwaj
I'm having trouble finding a reference in the Act to not working past 7:00. I was 15 and definitely worked past 7:00 on Fridays.