The U.S. Department of Labor has fined a Utah creamery more than $42,000 for violating federal child labor laws.
The department’s Wage and Hour Division found The Sweet Place LLC, operating as Cold Stone Creamery, violated federal law by allowing minor employees ages 14 to 15 years-old to work too late in the day and too many hours in a week while school was in session at three of its restaurants located in Ogden, Clinton and Layton.
The employer stated it relied on erroneous legal guidance advising it to follow state guidelines – reliance that contributed to the employer paying $42,714 in penalties.
“The legal guidance the employer relied on was incorrect and ultimately resulted in federal child labor law violations, costing it over $42,000 in penalties,” said Wage and Hour District Director Kevin Hunt in Salt Lake City. “We encourage employers and employees to contact our office directly to get accurate information pertaining to federal labor laws and avoid an unfortunate situation like this one.”
