Wage and Hour Division (WHD)

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CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- The U.S. Labor Department’s Wage and Hour Division has assessed $12,320 in civil money penalties against Rib Country - Murphy LLC, in Murphy, N.C., for allowing minors to work in violation of the youth employment provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). Investigation of three restaurants found that teen workers worked more hours than permitted and performed hazardous duties as defined by federal regulations.

“Young workers can learn valuable skills when they enter the job market, but employers must ensure that teens have safe work experiences that do not expose them to excessive hours of work or hazardous duties,” said John Blaine, director of the Wage and Hour Division’s Charlotte District Office.

In violation of federal law, the company regularly scheduled employees under 16 years of age to work past 7 p.m. between Labor Day and June 1 and past 9 p.m. between June 1 and Labor Day. Federal law requires that 14- and 15-year-olds must be scheduled to work only during non-school hours, and may not work more than three hours on school days, eight hours on non-school days or 40 hours during non-school weeks.

The FLSA also prohibits workers less than 18 years of age from operating or cleaning meat processing equipment such as power-driven meat grinders and saws. A 16-year-old employee was seriously injured while operating a meat slicer at a Rib Country restaurant.

For more information about youth employment laws and jobs prohibited under the Secretary of Labor’s hazardous duty orders, visit the department’s YouthRules! Web site atwww.youthrules.dol.gov.

For information about the FLSA and other laws administered by the Wage and Hour Division, visit www.wagehour.dol.gov; call the department’s toll-free help line at (866) 4US-WAGE (487-9243); or contact the division’s Charlotte District Office, Mart Office Building, 800 Briar Creek Rd., Suite CC-412; telephone (704) 344-6302.

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