In light of recent events, Popeyes, a booming chain of fried chicken restaurants that first opened in 1972, has been facing quite harsh and detrimental criticism. On Feb. 6, 2024, many Michigan Popeyes restaurants located in East Oakland, Newark and Tracy County encountered a fine of $48,251 in civil penalties due to unjust child labor policies. Their inadequate schedule has violated the Fair Labor Standards Act, one that prohibits 14 and 15-year-olds from working over three hours on a school day, over eight hours on a non-school day and over 18 hours in one full week. First enacted in 1938, the reasoning behind this act was to ensure that while teenagers are granted the experience of working in a real-world setting, the treatment they receive is ethical and fair. However, Popeyes posed a clear violation of this act. According to an article published on Feb. 7 by the United States Department of Labor, a total of 63 teenagers, all either 14 or 15 years of age, have been said to be immensely overworked while only working for minimum pay, consequently violating various aspects of the Fair Labor Standards Act.
While this arising issue leaves a mark on Popeyes’ reputation, it is actually not the first occurrence. In fact, this is the third time Popeyes has been accused of overworking Oakland County employees. Popeyes faced similar charges in 2003 and 2022, yet no advancements nor heartfelt efforts are being made. Although their reaction to what has occurred over the last few weeks has been very professional and remorseful, the vastly poor image that they have created for themselves grows irreparable. As a result of this situation, Popeyes faced a myriad of expenses. They were faced with $39,826 in unpaid overtime wages and damages for 15 teenage employees, $121,104 for child labor violations and $12,104 for overtime violations.
This issue has become exceedingly prevalent amongst Michigan residents, and many have come out to share their perspectives. When asked about his insight on this situation, Timolin Mitchell, Wage and Hour District Director, stated, “Child labor laws were enacted nearly a century ago to protect children. Employers that hire teen labor must ensure they follow the law while allowing teens to earn valuable work experience.”
Ultimately, the everlasting issue with child labor has not been followed with notable advancements, and that is continually creating an array of controversy. Although Popeyes did express their sincere concerns to the violations, drastic changes have not been made throughout the last 20 years, consequently raising the question on whether ethical morality or public figure is their greater priority.
