Kentucky restaurant chain agrees to pay $250,000 over allegations of labor violations

A Kentucky restaurant chain has agreed to pay $250,000 for alleged violations of federal labor law, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.

Investigators found that El Mazatlan had an employee who was 13 years old , which is under the legal working age, and also had 37 employees ages 14 or 15 who worked longer hours or later at night than allowed, according to a news release.

The Department of Labor said the restaurant company is based in Glasgow. Its site says it has restaurants in Bowling Green, Franklin, Cave City, Munfordville and in Illinois.

In addition to the $250,000 penalty, the restaurant chain agreed to train managers on child-labor rules.

“Learning new skills in the workforce is an important part of growing up — but we must protect children and ensure their first jobs do not interfere with their education or well-being,” Karen Garnett-Civils, a director in the agency’s Louisville office, said in the release.

The Department of Labor also said El Mazatlan illegally deducted the cost of uniforms from the wages of servers and didn’t pay overtime to three workers as required.

The agency recovered $50,233 in back wages for employees and another $50,233 in damages, according to the release.