Local Sonic Drive-Ins hit with 170 child labor violations from feds

Federal investigators at the U.S. Department of Labor have identified over 170 child labor violations at six Sonic Drive-In franchise locations in Northern Nevada, according to a new report by the agency.

The Sonics, which are co-owned by siblings Ian, Quinn and Taylor Cain through SDI of Neil LLC, illegally allowed 14- and 15-year-olds to work hours and times not permitted by federal child labor regulations, the report said. Additionally, the fast-food franchises assigned the young employees to operate manual deep fryers, a task considered a hazardous occupation that is prohibited for workers under the age of 16.

The report said that SDI of Neil LLC employed the teens illegally in these ways:

• Before 7 a.m. and later than 7 p.m. on days between Labor Day and June 1, and later than 9 p.m. on days between June 1 and Labor Day.
• More than 3 hours per day on school days, more than 18 hours a week in a school week, more than 8 hours on a non-school day, and more than 40 hours in a non-school week.

To resolve the child labor violations, SDI of Neil LLC and the Cains paid $71,182 in civil penalties. The division also recovered $274 in overtime back wages for two teen workers who were denied overtime pay, the agency report said. Investigators also found that one of the Sonics had hired an employee who was 13 years old, which is under the legal age for restaurant employment.

Prior to the news, Taylor Cain had established a reputation as a young local entrepreneur. In 2017, then-22-year-old Cain took the reins of the family company after her father, who co-founded it, died. The family's six Sonics are in Reno, Sparks, Carson City, Fallon and Minden.

When asked for comment, Cain referred the RGJ to Sonic's corporate press relations team, which had not responded at the time of publication.