'This Is Unacceptable': Chick-fil-A Slammed With Fine After Paying Employees With Meal Vouchers The North Carolina location claims that the positions were voluntary in nature.

By Emily Rella

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Chick-fil-A fans may dream of free food from the coveted chain, but for workers in one North Carolina-based location, it looks like free meals were all they were getting.

The Department of Labor has slammed a Hendersonville, North Carolina Chick-fil-A with fines for paying off employees who served as drive-thru traffic directors with meal vouchers instead of traditional wages.

The restaurant was ordered to pay back $235 each to seven employees, bringing the grand total of money owed to $1,645.

The report says that denying the workers minimum wage is a direct violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act.

Eagle-eyed social media users caught the restaurant asking for "volunteers" to come direct traffic in exchange for five free meals per shift on their Facebook page in a now-deleted post that has been screenshotted and shared to Twitter.

"This is a volunteer-based opportunity, which means people can opt-in to volunteer if they think it's a good fit for them," the restaurant clarified in a screenshotted response to angry commenters claiming that it was a labor law violation. "We've had multiple people sign up and enjoy doing and have done it multiple times."

The Department of Labor report also claims that the restaurant allowed three employees under the age of 18 to operate a trash compactor, violating child labor laws that prohibit minors from performing dangerous jobs.

"Protecting our youngest workers continues to be a top priority for the Wage and Hour Division," Wage and Hour Division District Director Richard Blaylock in Raleigh, North Carolina said in a Department of Labor release. "Child labor laws ensure that when young people work, the work does not jeopardize their health, well-being or educational opportunities. In addition, employers are responsible to pay workers for all of the hours worked and the payment must be made in cash or legal tender."

According to PayScale, Chick-fil-A employees make an average of $12.51 per hour, ranging from $8.77 to $19.44 per hour. The average pay for an employee with the company in North Carolina is $13.53.

Entrepreneur has reached out to Chick-fil-A for further comment.

Emily Rella

Senior News Writer

Emily Rella is a Senior News Writer at Entrepreneur.com. Previously, she was an editor at Verizon Media. Her coverage spans features, business, lifestyle, tech, entertainment, and lifestyle. She is a 2015 graduate of Boston College and a Ridgefield, CT native. Find her on Twitter at @EmilyKRella.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Editor's Pick

Innovation

4 Ways Market Leaders Use Innovation to Foster Business Growth

Forward-thinkers constantly strive to diversify and streamline their products and services, turning novelties into commodities desired by many.

Business News

JPMorgan Shuts Down Internal Message Board Comments After Employees React to Return-to-Office Mandate

Employees were given the option to leave comments about the RTO mandate with their first and last names on display — and they did not hold back.

Side Hustle

'Hustling Since Middle School': She Started a Side Hustle on Facebook Marketplace — Then a 'Game-Changer' Grew It to $25,000 a Month

Leena Pettigrew's "entrepreneurial spirit" inspired her to build a business with earnings that outpaced her full-time income.

Business Ideas

70 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2025

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2025.

Business News

'I Want the Best People on Our Teams': Meta Is Laying Off More Than 3,000, CEO Mark Zuckerberg Calls for 'Extensive Performance-Based Cuts' — Read the Memo

In an internal memo shared on Tuesday, Zuckerberg said it's "going to be an intense year" at the company.

Leadership

From Elite Athletes to Tech Titans — Discover the Surprising $100-Million Habit That Leads to Extraordinary Success

Success comes from mastering focus, eliminating distractions and prioritizing what truly matters.