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Oakland Popeye's operator to pay $200K after allegedly hiring workers as young as 13
An Oakland-based Popeye's franchisee operating restaurants in Newark and Tracy must pay $212,000 after a federal investigation found that minors as young as 13 years old were allegedly working at the fast-food chain restaurants, the Department of Labor announced Wednesday.
OAKLAND, Calif. - The operator of Popeye's restaurants in Oakland, Newark and Tracy settled a federal complaint involving violating child labor laws, the US Department of Labor announced on Wednesday.
Last May, workers at the Oakland Popeye's on International Boulevard protested against alleged labor abuses, and demanded justice.
The Labor Department ordered the operator to pay $212,000 in fines, damages and back pay.
Some workers were as young as 13, and worked much longer than allowed by child labor laws.
"During my time at Popeye's, the management never asked me for a work permit," Ohmara Romero said at a news conference last spring. "I was expected to work late, 10 p.m. or 11 p.m. There were times I missed my morning classes, because I was tired for a late shift. I never said anything to management, because I was afraid they would cut my hours, and I needed this job to help my family with bills from time to time."
A Popeye's spokesperson said they take issues like this very seriously. They provided a statement that read in part, "Based on the allegations made in early 2023 by team members at a restaurant owned by one of our franchisees, we immediately shut down the restaurant to conduct a swift investigation and to remediate the issues that were identified. We’ve been staying close with this franchisee, and to our knowledge there have been no further violations."
This is the third time in the last 20 years that the same Oakland franchise has been cited for labor violations.