INDIANAPOLIS — The U.S. Department of Labor is fining an operator of 11 Dairy Queen franchise locations, including a store in Indianapolis, for violating child labor laws.
H&H Coldwater LCC, a Fort Wayne-based operator, violated working hours and time standards for 102 employees ages 14 and 15 at Dairy Queen stores at the following locations:
- Indianapolis: 9040 N. Meridian St., owned by Gavin Hart, Hugh Harlan and Doug Harlan
- Fort Wayne: 8037 Coldwater Road, owned by Gavin Hart, Hugh Harlan and Doug Harlan
- Fort Wayne: 501 Lower Huntington Road, owned by Gavin Hart, Hugh Harlan and Doug Harlan
- Fort Wayne: 10180 Maysville Road, owned by Gavin Hart, Hugh Harlan and Doug Harlan
- Fort Wayne: 1818 N. Coliseum Blvd., owned by Gavin Hart and Kim Hart
- Fort Wayne: 3132 St. Joe Center Road, owned by Gavin Hart and Kim Hart
- Fort Wayne: 5115 E. Dupont Road, owned by Gavin Hart and Kim Hart
- Fort Wayne: 3103 N. Anthony Blvd., owned by Gavin Hart
- Bluffton: 960 N. Main St., owned by Gavin Hart and Travis May
- Decatur: 236 N. 13th St., owned by Gavin Hart and Travis May
- Sturgis, Michigan: 110 W. Chicago Road, owned by Gavin Hart and Travis May
The violations came from an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division.
H&H Coldwater LLC agreed to pay $42,575 in civil penalties by Nov. 14 for the violations.
The following guidelines are in place for 14- and 15-year-old employees, according to the Fair Labor Standards Act:
- Cannot work later than 9 p.m. from June 1 through Labor Day
- Cannot work later than 7 p.m. from the day after Labor Day to May 31
- Cannot work more than 3 hours on a school day
- Cannot work more than 8 hours on a non-school day
- Cannot work more than 18 hours per week
"Franchisees like H&H Coldwater provide teen workers an opportunity to learn customer services and other skills that prepare them for successful careers but as employers, they have an obligation to ensure child labor laws are followed," said Wage and Hour Division District Director Patricia Lewis in a news release. "Child labor laws protect teens' health and ensure their first job experiences are positive and manageable with schooling and other commitments."
What other people are reading:
- Funeral service and procession set for Monday for Richmond Officer Seara Burton
- Amazon will have a second Prime Day-like event this year
- Indiana gas prices rising again
- Instacart driver goes to great lengths to deliver cake with woman's resume to Nike manager
- Texas child dies while taking a shower in apparent drowning, police say