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Oakland Popeyes temporarily closed over allegations of child labor violations

By Aja Seldon
Published  May 18, 2023 7:17pm PDT
Oakland
KTVU FOX 2

Teen employees at Oakland Popeyes allege labor violations

Two high school students who worked at a Popeyes in East Oakland allege that the restaurant violated labor laws.

OAKLAND, Calif. - A Popeyes in Oakland was temporarily shut down Thursday after allegations of child labor law violations.

The fast food chain confirmed the Popeyes location on 70th Avenue and International Boulevard was closed pending an investigation into the allegations.

"We will not tolerate any violation of employment laws and if any of these allegations prove true, we will take action against this franchisee," Popeyes said in a statement to KTVU.

The temporary closure comes after a report from the Washington Post into claims from two 17-year-old high school students who said they felt pressured to skip classes to go to work. They also allege they worked long, late hours, in violation of California's child labor laws.

The news publication obtained a complaint the teens filed with the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) detailing the allegations. The teens said they sometimes more than worked past 11 p.m., which is illegal under California law.

State law limits minors to working no more than four hours a day during the school week and no later than 10 p.m.