Evers Administration finds largest determination of child labor and wage payment violations in modern Wisconsin history
MADISON — Gov. Tony Evers today demanded accountability for sweeping child labor violations affecting over 600 Wisconsin kids after the Evers Administration’s Department of Workforce Development (DWD) uncovered more than 1,656 violations of Wisconsin’s child labor and wage payment laws by Cave Enterprises Operations LLC, which operates 105 Burger King franchises in Wisconsin. The violations, which occurred during a two-year span ending in January 2025, is the largest determination of child labor and wage payment violations in modern Wisconsin history. According to DWD, Cave Enterprises must pay unpaid regular wages, overtime wages, and penalty wages to impacted workers, and also must immediately come into compliance with Wisconsin’s Employment of Minors laws and related regulations, which were found to be violated.
“Here in Wisconsin, we have proud history of making sure workers are treated with dignity and respect, and that’s especially true when it comes to our kids. We have a responsibility to make sure kids who are working are protected from exploitation, predatory employer practices, and being subjected to hazardous or illegal working conditions, and that’s a responsibility we must take seriously. After years of Republican lawmakers working to get rid of Wisconsin’s basic child labor law protections, I’m proud my administration is working to do the opposite by making sure bad actors are held accountable for taking advantage of kids in the workplace,” said Gov. Evers. “I want to thank the folks at the DWD for their hard work to investigate and bring these individuals to justice so these kids receive the compensation they deserve and we can prevent this from happening to our kids in the future. My administration and I are committed to cracking down on fraud and abuse impacting Wisconsin workers, most especially our kids, and we will continue this good work to ensure our laws are working for the folks and families we serve.”
Gov. Evers has been a steadfast advocate for the rights of workers and protecting kids from labor exploitation in Wisconsin. In 2024, Gov. Evers vetoed a bill that would have eliminated the requirement that employers obtain a work permit in order to employ 14- or 15-year-olds. The governor’s veto came amid a rise in teenagers working in hazardous or illegal jobs for their age in recent years. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, from 2021 to 2023, the number of minors employed in violation of child labor laws increased by 105 percent, the highest year on record since 2013.
“Enforcing Wisconsin’s labor laws and protecting workers’ rights is core to the mission of DWD, and today’s determination helps us to advance in that mission to better serve the people of Wisconsin,” said DWD Secretary Amy Pechacek. “For kids who choose to work, child labor laws provide essential protection to ensure that they can continue to do well in school and enjoy the best parts about growing up in Wisconsin while staying safe in the workplace. DWD has a dedicated team of investigators who work every day to uncover and put an end to abuse of Wisconsin’s labor laws and protect workers. It’s a testament to their extraordinary work that Cave Enterprises will be held to account for these violations.”
DWD’s Equal Rights Division opened an investigation into Cave Enterprises after a review of department records revealed 33 separate child labor and wage payment complaints against individual franchises from 2020 to 2023. DWD reviewed records related to the employment of minors from Jan. 1, 2023, through Jan. 25, 2025, and determined that Cave Enterprises violated Wisconsin child labor laws at least 1,656 times during the investigative period.
Overall, 593 employees aged 14 and 15 were allowed to begin work without a child labor permit, violating Wisconsin’s Employment of Minor Laws, 627 minor employees worked shifts of six hours or more without the meal break mandated under Wisconsin law, and hundreds of minor employees under age 16 worked before or after allowed hours or worked more hours than permitted for school-age workers.
More information about how to file a claim with the Equal Rights Division can be found at https://dwd.wisconsin.gov/er/complaints/
