MADISON (NBC 26) — Gov. Tony Evers says his administration is demanding accountability after investigators uncovered a sweeping case of child labor violations impacting hundreds of young workers across the state.
According to the governor, the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development (DWD) has documented 1,656 violations of state labor and wage payment laws committed by Cave Enterprises Operations LLC, the operator of 105 Burger King locations in Wisconsin including more than two dozen in the Green Bay-Appleton area.
The Governor's office said the violations happened over a two-year period ending in January 2025 — making this the largest determination of child labor and wage violations in modern state history.
DWD has ordered Cave Enterprises to pay unpaid regular wages, overtime wages, and penalty wages to affected workers - and to immediately comply with Wisconsin’s Employment of Minors laws.
Governor’s Statement
“Here in Wisconsin, we have a proud history of making sure workers are treated with dignity and respect, and that’s especially true when it comes to our kids,” Gov. Evers said in a news release. “We have a responsibility to make sure kids who are working are protected from exploitation, predatory employer practices, and hazardous or illegal working conditions — and that’s a responsibility we must take seriously.”
Details of the Violations
DWD’s Equal Rights Division launched its investigation after reviewing department records that revealed 33 separate child labor and wage complaints against individual Cave Enterprises franchises between 2020 and 2023. Investigators found:
- 593 employees aged 14-15 were allowed to start work without required child labor permits.
- 627 minors worked shifts longer than six hours without the legally mandated meal break.
- Hundreds of employees under 16 worked beyond permissible hours or exceeded allowable weekly limits.
- Violations spanned nearly every location owned by Cave Enterprises in Wisconsin.
Financial Penalties
Cave Enterprises must pay $237,437.29 in wages to impacted employees within 20 days of receiving DWD’s determination letter. A separate penalty determination seeks fines of up to $500 per violation, totaling $828,000.
Under Wis. Stat. § 103.82(1)(a), employers who violate child labor laws face penalties of $25–$1,000 for each infraction. DWD says the scale, nature, and repeat history of violations justify the upper-range fines. If Cave Enterprises fails to comply, the state says the case may be pursued in court through the Wisconsin Department of Justice.
Learn More
For details on filing a wage or child labor complaint, visit the Wisconsin DWD Equal Rights Division.
Additional information on 2025 workforce enforcement actions and Gov. Evers’ initiatives is available here.
