Wisconsin Burger King Franchisee Faces Record Child Labor Penalties

MADISON, Wis. (WEAU) – WEAU obtained a copy of what’s called a Penalties Determination letter to one of Wisconsin’s largest Burger King franchise operators in a child labor and wage payment investigation.

The letter outlines what it says are penalties for the infractions. At this point, Cave Enterprises Operations LLC, has not been found guilty in a court of law. These are the results of an investigation by the Department of Workforce Development.

Cave Enterprises operates 105 Burger King franchises across Wisconsin, including five in the Eau Claire area.

Scope of Violations

The Department says it found more than 1,656 violations of Wisconsin’s child labor and wage payment laws during a two-year span ending in January 2025. The violations affect more than 600 young workers.

“This is the largest determination of child labor and wage payment violations in modern Wisconsin history,” according to a press release from the Office of Governor Tony Evers.

The allegations include illegal work hours and wage payment failures. According to the DWD, Cave failed to comply with Wisconsin’s Employment of Minors laws and related regulations.

Financial Penalties and Restitution

The Department of Workforce Development determined a penalty of $500 per violation—half the maximum allowed per violation penalty. That amounts to $828,000 in penalties.

Additionally, the Department says Cave Enterprises must pay $237,000 in unpaid wages to affected young workers. This includes unpaid regular wages, overtime wages, and penalty wages.

“If Cave Enterprises makes the payments within the specified timeframe, the Department will consider the matter resolved,” according to the DWD letter.

Next Steps

The State says Cave Enterprises must immediately come into compliance with Wisconsin’s child labor employment laws and regulations. The letter also says the company must pay the outstanding wages and penalties within the timeframe specified by the Department of Workforce Development.

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