Chicago-area McDonald’s improperly hired teens to work long hours, lawsuit alleges
LOCKPORT, Ill. - The owner of a suburban McDonald’s restaurant was accused of improperly hiring several teenagers and working them for long hours without breaks over several months, in violation of child labor laws.
What we know:
The Illinois Attorney General’s Office sued the company owned by Nicholas J. Kory, which owns and operates the McDonald’s in southwest suburban Lockport.
The lawsuit alleges that Kory’s company improperly employed dozens of 14 and 15-year-olds to work at the McDonalds without the necessary work authorization.
The restaurant managers also had the underage employees work "excessive" hours during the school year, including hours late at night, even as late as 1 a.m., in violation of child labor laws, according to the lawsuit. The children were also worked as long as 17 hours straight.
An audit of the restaurant by the Illinois Department of Labor found at least 568 violations of state law between Jan. 1, 2023, and July 8, 2023, according to the lawsuit.
Child labor laws restrict the employment of children under the age of 16. They need to obtain employment certification from a local school authority and can only work outside of school hours in "non-manufacturing and non-hazardous jobs," according to the attorney general’s lawsuit. The law also limits the number of hours a day and days per week they can work.
For these alleged violations, the IDOL fined the business more than $2.1 million, which the business had not paid, according to the lawsuit.
"Now, the Illinois Attorney General files this action to hold Lockor and Kory accountable for their egregious, unlawful employment of children in violation of State law," the lawsuit said.
Requests for comment to Kory’s attorney and McDonald’s were not immediately returned.