Vegas pizza chain fined for violating child labor laws

(Dept. of Labor) - 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.

Based in Pasadena, California, Blaze Fast Fire’d Pizza has more than 340 franchise locations in 38 states and six countries.