A North Liberty restaurant, where Gov. Kim Reynolds was set to discuss Iowa’s child labor laws, now faces substantial federal child labor fines.
Reynolds planned to speak at Sugapeach Chicken & Fish Fry on Pacha Parkway last Monday, but the news conference was canceled due to flooding in northwest Iowa.
Sugapeach owner Chad Simmons was also scheduled to speak. They intended to address what they described as the federal government’s “excessive penalties” on Iowa businesses employing teens. Last year, Reynolds signed into law more relaxed age restrictions for minors in the workforce, which were more lenient than federal regulations. However, the alleged violations at Sugapeach predate this law, with the Department of Labor requesting payroll records and timesheets from as far back as 2021.
Simmons told The Cedar Rapids Gazette that his restaurant faces $65,000 in fines for having 14- and 15-year-olds work longer shifts than federal regulations allow. He claims his intention was to support young teens by hiring them.
Simmons says that if forced to pay the fines, he may have to close his business. He mentioned to the newspaper that, as a black-owned business, it would be heartbreaking if the only way his restaurant could survive was by not employing 14- and 15-year-olds.
Jessica Dunker, President and CEO of the Iowa Restaurant Association, told the Gazette that Sugapeach isn’t alone, as some Iowa restaurants are facing federal fines up to $180,000 for using child labor.
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