MADISON, WI (WOWO) Wisconsin officials are seeking more than one million dollars from a Burger King franchise operator following an investigation into child labor and wage violations.

The Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development says Cave Enterprises Operations LLC, an Illinois-based company that operates 105 Burger King locations in the state, committed at least 1,656 violations of child labor and wage payment laws over a two-year period ending in January 2025. According to reporting from FOX Business, state officials say the violations affected more than 600 minors.

Investigators found that hundreds of employees ages 14 and 15 began working without required child labor permits, while others worked shifts longer than six hours without mandated meal breaks. State officials also say minors under 16 worked outside permitted hours or exceeded limits for school-age workers.

The department says Cave Enterprises must pay more than $237,000 in unpaid wages and penalties directly to employees. Workers may also be entitled to additional damages under state law. In addition, regulators are seeking civil penalties of up to $828,000, bringing the company’s potential financial exposure to more than one million dollars.

State officials say the size of the proposed penalty reflects the number of violations, the scope of locations involved, and the number of minors affected. The department says it has offered to resolve the matter without court action if payments are made within 20 days.

If no agreement is reached, the case could be referred to the Wisconsin Department of Justice for enforcement. Cave Enterprises Operations LLC did not immediately respond to a request for comment, according to FOX Business.