A McDonald's restaurant in Louisville, Kentucky had 10-year-olds working shifts that sometimes ended at 2 a.m., CNN reported Wednesday.
The U.S. Department of Labor discovered the hours during an investigation into child labor law violations in the southeast.
"The agency also found three franchisees that own more than 60 McDonald’s locations in Kentucky, Indiana, Maryland and Ohio, 'employed 305 children to work more than the legally permitted hours and perform tasks prohibited by law for young workers,'" CNN said.
"The franchisees, Bauer Food, Archways Richwood and Bell Restaurant Group, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. CNN has also reached out to McDonald’s for comment."
Under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act, children younger than 14 are not permitted to work in jobs outside the agricultural sector.
“Investigators from the department’s Wage and Hour Division found two 10-year-old workers at a Louisville McDonald’s restaurant," said the Labor Department press release. “Investigators also determined two 10-year-old children were employed – but not paid – and sometimes worked as late as 2 a.m.”
According to the report, the three franchise operators face civil fines of over $200,000.
Many states have their own laws on child labor beyond the federal limits. In recent years Republican lawmakers in some states have sought to relax those rules, arguing the large number of job openings requires adding more children into the workforce.
A bill moving through the Iowa legislature would allow children younger than 16 to work longer hours and in certain currently restricted professions like assembly work. And Republicans in Arkansas did away with a requirement that the state Labor Department sign off on employment of children under 16.
