ORLANDO, Fla. – The owners of Panera Bread cafes in Central Florida face hefty fines after state officials accused them of violating child labor rules, according to court documents obtained by News 6 on Thursday.
The lawsuit says that between 2021 and 2023, these Panera Bread cafes — around 15 of which operate in the Orlando area — employed around 240 minors under the age of 16.
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In the lawsuit, U.S. Secretary of Labor Lori claimed that the practice constituted “oppressive child labor,” specifically as it applies to their working hours.
Under federal law, 14- and 15-year-olds are regulated regarding the length and timing of their work hours. To be exact, they may work:
- Outside school hours
- No more than three hours on a school day, including Fridays
- No more than eight hours on a non-school day
- No more than 18 hours during a week when school is in session
- No more than 40 hours during a week when school is not in session
- Between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. — except between June 1 and Labor Day, when the evening hour is extended to 9 p.m.
While the lawsuit doesn’t specify when or how long these employees were working, a consent decree filed earlier this month shows that the owners agreed to provide training and audits to ensure federal compliance going forward.
That decree also reveals that the owners will pay a fine of $600,000 across four installments starting on July 15, pending approval by the court.
In the meantime, the initial lawsuit can be read below:
Panera Bread Lawsuit by Anthony Talcott on Scribd