Wisconsin officials say a Burger King franchisee has committed more than 1,600 child labor violations across the state, calling it the largest such case in modern state history. (FOX6)
Wisconsin officials are seeking more than $1 million from a Burger King franchisee after finding the company committed more than 1,600 child labor and wage violations, affecting hundreds of minors in the state.
The Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development (DWD) said Cave Enterprises Operations LLC, an Illinois-based company that operates 105 Burger King franchises in Wisconsin, committed at least 1,656 violations of the state’s child labor and wage payment laws during a two-year period ending in January 2025.
State officials described the case as the “largest finding of child labor and wage violations in modern Wisconsin history.”
According to DWD, the violations affected more than 600 children. The agency found that 593 workers ages 14 and 15 were allowed to start work without required child labor permits, 627 minor workers worked shifts of six hours or more without legally required meal breaks, and hundreds of minors under the age of 16 worked beyond authorized hours or exceeded limits for school-age workers.
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Governor Tony Evers said the enforcement action reflects the state’s responsibility to protect minors in the workforce.
“Here in Wisconsin, we have a proud history of ensuring that employees are treated with dignity and respect, and that is especially true when it comes to our children,” Evers said. “We have a responsibility to ensure that children who work are protected from exploitation, predatory employer practices and exposure to dangerous or illegal working conditions.”
Evers, a Democrat, criticized Republican lawmakers, arguing they have weakened protections against child labor in the state, while saying his administration is committed to holding employers accountable.
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DWD’s Equal Rights Division opened its investigation after reviewing department data showing that there were 33 separate child labor and payroll complaints against individual Cave Enterprises franchises between 2020 and 2023. The agency reviewed employment records involving minors from January 1, 2023, through January 25, 2025, before issuing a formal determination letter.
The Burger King logo can be seen in a shopping center. (Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images/Getty Images)
Under the provision, Cave Enterprises must pay $237,437.29 in unpaid regular wages, overtime and penalty wages directly to affected employees. DWD said employees are also entitled to compensation up to 200% of wage losses under state law.
In addition to wages owed to employees, DWD is seeking civil penalties of up to $828,000 – calculated at $500 per violation – which would bring the company’s total potential exposure to more than $1 million.
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State officials said the enhanced penalty reflects the pervasive nature of the violations at multiple franchise locations, the large number of minors affected, violations of multiple statutory provisions and the company’s prior enforcement history regarding child labor and wage issues at more than a dozen locations.
DWD said it has offered to resolve the matter without legal action if Cave Enterprises pays both the wages owed to the employees and the civil penalty within 20 days of receiving the determination letters. The penalty determination letter is provided separately from the wage determination.
An exterior view of a Burger King fast food restaurant in Danville, Pennsylvania. (Paul Weaver/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images/Getty Images)
If Cave Enterprises fails to make timely payments, DWD said it will pursue enforcement through Wisconsin Ministry of Justiceand the final fine amount would be determined by a court if a ruling went against the company.
State officials also ordered Cave Enterprises to immediately comply with Wisconsin underage employment laws and related regulations, warning that the company could face additional penalties for future violations.
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