Dessert chain Rita’s Miami stores were fined $15,000 for child labor violations
The owner of five Miami metropolitan area locations of Rita’s Italian Ice & Frozen Custard chain was fined $15,414 for child-labor violations after a U.S. Department of Labor investigation, the agency announced.
Ice Custard Hialeah LLC, which owns the Rita’s franchise stores in Miami Beach, Surfside, Northwest Miami-Dade, Fort Lauderdale and Hollywood, also owed $275 in back pay to two workers.
Labor said Wage and Hour Division investigators found the five stores allowed 21 minors to work outside work hours allowed by the child-labor parts of the Fair Labor Standards Act. Also, 14- and-15-year-olds were allowed to work more than eight hours on a non-school day, three hours on a school day and 18 hours in a school week. Minors were also allowed to work after 7 p.m. on school days.
“Employers must familiarize themselves with the working conditions that come with hiring minor employees,” Wage and Hour Division District Director Daniel Cronin said. “We encourage employers to access our Youthrules.gov website or contact the Wage and Hour Division to learn how to navigate working hours for minor-aged employees and uphold their obligations under the law when they choose to hire them.”
The Wage and Hour complaint section of Labor’s website contains information on how to file a complaint if you believe your employer has violated the Fair Labor Standards Act or other labor laws. Miami’s Wage and Hour Division office can be reached at 305-598-6607. The national helpline is 866-4US-WAGE (487-9243).
No matter the immigration or citizenship status of workers, they can speak with the department, which says it can handle calls in more than 200 languages.
This story was originally published January 2, 2023 at 9:40 AM.
