Blaze Fast Fire’d Pizza franchisee faces $277K in penalties after federal investigators find dozens of children employed illegally at 10 Nevada locations.
Blaze Fast Fire’d franchisee, Bryz Guyz Inc., employed 28 children to perform hazardous tasks during prohibited hours.
HENDERSON, NV (STL.News) The U.S. Department of Labor has assessed the operators of 10 Blaze Fast Fire’d Pizza locations in Las Vegas and Henderson $277,414 in civil penalties after federal investigators found the employer employed dozens of children to perform dangerous tasks and work more hours than allowed on school days, in violation of federal regulations.
Investigators with the department’s Wage and Hour Division determined that Bryz Guyz Inc. in Henderson willfully employed 23 children, ages 15 to 17, to operate industrial pizza dough mixers. In addition, the investigation found the employer allowed five 15-year-olds to work at times not permitted by the Fair Labor Standards Act’s child labor provisions. Specifically, the division found these 15-year-olds worked more than three hours on school days when they worked as late as 10:30 p.m. Federal law forbids employers from employing 14- and 15-year-olds more than three hours on school days and prohibits their employment after 7 p.m. from the day after Labor Day through May 31.
“Learning new skills in the workforce is an important part of growing up, but we must protect children and ensure their first jobs are safe and do not interfere with their education or well-being,” said Wage and Hour Division District Director Gene Ramos in Las Vegas. “The Fair Labor Standards Act allows these important work experiences but ensures that when children work, they are employed in a manner that promotes their health, safety and educational opportunities.”
In fiscal year 2023, the division found more than 5,700 children employed in violation of federal law, including more than 500 illegally employed in hazardous occupations. During this period, the division assessed more than $8 million in child labor-related penalties, an 83 percent increase from the previous year.
“The U.S. Department of Labor is committed to safeguarding the rights and well-being of all employees, particularly the youngest and most vulnerable,” Ramos added. “We continue to provide outreach and training to employers nationwide on compliance with federal wage and child labor laws.”
Based in Pasadena, California, Blaze Fast Fire’d Pizza has over 340 franchise locations in 38 states and six countries.
ATTENTION RESTAURANT OWNERS: We publish this content to help you learn how to avoid similar mistakes and the consequences involved when you act illegally as an employer. As an employer, you have a fiduciary responsibility to your employees that needs to be followed. Employers should follow these laws in all industries, but we target restaurants because they appear to be the most frequently responsible for labor violations.
