Various McDonald’s franchises around America have received allegations of child labor violations, and shareholders have called for a third-party human rights and child labor assessment to be done on McDonald’s restaurants. Violations of child labor laws are on the increase, particularly in the restaurant industry. Restaurants are employing more child workers to meet staffing shortages, and oftentimes laws regarding the number of hours that children are allowed work are ignored. The Food and Environment Reporting Network states that federal data indicates that McDonald’s is responsible for 9% of child labor violations. In response, McDonald’s shareholders have called for a zero-tolerance policy against child labor in all restaurants and franchises.
See "McDonald’s shareholders call for audit of child labor violations and zero tolerance policy against child labor ", Lauren Kaori Gurley, The Washington Post, June 27, 2023