Rick Ross’ famous food franchise, Wingstop, has been fined for various labor violations at five of its Mississippi locations. The U.S. Department of Labor shared their findings on their website last week.
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Apparently, Boss Wings Enterprises LLC forced employees pay for their own uniforms, background checks, safety trainings, and cash register shortages. This led to some employees’ hourly wages falling below the $7.25 federal minimum wage.
In addition, the company violated child labor regulations by allowing a 15-year-old to work past 10 p.m. in June 2021 on several occasions. Labor laws forbid 14- and 15-year-olds from working past 7 p.m. from from June 1 to Labor Day.
Ultimately, the Department of Labor recovered $51,674 in back wages for 244 workers and $62,753 in civil money penalties from Boss Wings Enterprises LLC. Jackson, Mississippi Wage and Hour Division District Director Audrey Hall made a statement on what they discovered:
“Restaurant industry employees work hard, often for low wages, and many depend on every dollar earned to make ends meet. The law prevents Boss Wing Enterprises LLC from shifting operating costs to workers by deducting the costs of uniforms, cash register shortages or training expenses, or to allow a worker’s pay to fall below the minimum wage rate. Employers who do not respect their workers’ rights will likely struggle to retain and recruit the people they need to remain competitive, as workers look for opportunities with employers that do.”
Hopefully, the company can learn from its errors and treat employees with the respect they deserve—especially since Rick Ross shared on Instagram that he had gifted his 16-year-old son a Wingstop franchise last year.
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