The US Department of Labor has uncovered the employment of two 10-year-olds at a McDonald's outlet in Louisville, sometimes working until 2 a.m. This finding was made public on Tuesday as part of an ongoing investigation into child labor law violations in the Southeast region.

The department's statement revealed that three franchise operators who own over 60 McDonald's branches in Kentucky, Indiana, Maryland, and Ohio, violated child labor laws by employing 305 minors for longer hours and tasks prohibited for young workers. The franchisees in question are Bauer Food, Archways Richwood, and Bell Restaurant Group. They have not provided any comments regarding the matter, and McDonald's has also been contacted for a statement.

According to the department's Wage and Hour Division, their investigation found that two 10-year-olds were working at a McDonald's in Louisville, and several other violations of federal labor laws were committed by the three franchise operators in Kentucky. Additionally, the investigators discovered that these children were not compensated for their work and sometimes worked as late as 2 a.m.

As a result of these child labor violations, the three franchisees face a total of $212,754 in civil money penalties.

Karen Garnett-Civils, the Wage and Hour Division district director, emphasized the importance of adhering to child labor laws in a statement, saying, "Too often, employers fail to follow the child labor laws that protect young workers. Under no circumstances should there ever be a 10-year-old child working in a fast-food kitchen around hot grills, ovens, and deep fryers."