Jersey Mike’s Violated Child Labor Laws, Issued $24K In Fines: Feds

MANASQUAN, NJ — A federal labor investigation found that Manasquan-based Jersey Mike’s Subs illegally scheduled underage employees to work hours in violation of child labor laws.

Ten Jersey Mike’s Subs locations in the United States were found to have allowed 14- and 15-year-old workers to work after 7 p.m. on school days, past 9 p.m. in the summer, and over three hours on school days, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. The chain also failed to keep proof-of-age documents for minors, all of which are in violation of the federal Fair Labor Standards Act, the department said in a statement.

Jersey Mike’s Subs was fined $24,660 in civil penalties, following investigations from the Labor Department’s Wage and Hour Division conducted in Freehold, Long Branch, Neptune and Red Bank, as well as sites in Radnor and Horsham, Pennsylvania; Jacksonville and Salisbury, North Carolina; and Bend, Oregon.

“Child labor laws exist to protect employed minors and ensure their work experience does not compromise their health, well-being, or education,” said Wage and Hour District Director Charlene Rachor in Lawrence. “As the number of working minors increases during the summer months, it’s a good time for employers to review their child labor policies to ensure compliance.”

Jersey Mike’s started in 1956 in Point Pleasant. The chain spans over 2,000 locations nationwide, including over 100 in New Jersey, according to its website.