>

It says nowhere in the article how much of the $6000 fine was directly for labor costs, but assuming they had 4 or fewer of these positions running these 5 hour shifts for a month, the wages would be in the $5000 range if they only worked 25 hours per week. Odds are high that the entire fine is the cost of wages. 
Considering the average franchise grosses 5.3m per year and they pay the franchise "owner" over 200k per year... They're not seeing anything resembling a penalty for this other than the loss of $1.25 for each meal ticket they gave out this way... 
Now to the actual substance of what you're replying to... the point the guy before you was making was that a fine of $6000 for a crime of not paying for labor valued at around $6000 is not a punishment. It's doing what you're supposed to because you got caught... This only reinforces that what he did was the correct thing to do in that area, because if you get caught you pay what they were owed and if you don't, you save money. Any amount of savings this way is an improvement, so this kinda ruling is a dog whistle to come exploit the people of this town, but don't be dumb enough to post it online or be public about it.
I worked for a large coffee chain and there was an issue with employee pay all around. During a district meeting the manager sat there with a calculator totalling up the free coffee we get and how much our pay "actually" was. Needless to say I don't work there still. >

My employer does the same thing. They give you a paper with the cost of your benefits (insurance, meals, etc) and call it "total compensation". At least the paper specifically mentions how much of that is base wage, bonus, and benefits. >

They shouldn't even be allowed to call health insurance a "benefit" anymore. All it does is imply that they gave it to you and you aren't paying for it yourself with premiums. btw, my premiums are REALLY up there. >

In all but the smallest businesses your contribution to insurance is generally no more than 50%. If you’re paying $700 a month, they are too, and likely more than that. For a person with dependents on their plan this can be multiple thousands a month. 
The problem isn’t employers passing it off as compensation. The problem is employers footing $3,000 a month for you, your spouse, and a kid to have health insurance the government should be providing to begin with. >

Yep - employers being the gatekeepers/providers of healthcare was an anomaly to begin with and not one we need.  Time to move to tax-funded healthcare for all like the rest of the developed world already has. >

*like the elderly in the US already have. For some reason we continue to believe that only people who have had five decades or more to accumulate wealth are worthy of socialized medicine. >

There are also a lot of dirt poor elderly that need and use it >

What you said. Medicare and Social Security are designed to disproportionally help impoverished elderly without being a formal transfer of wealth tp that group. Both are transfer of wealth.
Including those above the poverty line improves political resiliency, even if the numbers are worked to effectively still be an elder pension and healthcare hand out. >

Do the volunteer workers get $$ from the fines? >

Talked to a relative who works for the US DOL.  She said it sounds like the $6,685 was for back wages directly owed to the "volunteers".  The liquidated damages that allow the DOL to fine employers under the FLSA are usually a lot higher. >

I hope the workers get it
Thanks >

I assume the fines are in addition to the unpaid hours worked. it's only a small franchise owner getting fined, not the Chick-fil-A corporate. >

That's what the article says. >

6K fine, that'll teach him..... >

It's not even a fine it's pretty much just them having to pay back what was owed.  
So basically there was no punishment.
But why would there be?  We have a legal system, not a justice system.  Who pays wins. >

What are you talking about? This is a fine on the franchise owner from the labor department. That's a punishment prescribed by law for a violation of the labor code. >

They are saying if you steal $1,000, then the police tell you to pay back $1,000 and nothing else, you aren't being punished. >

They also have to pay back the worker wages in legal tender. Please read articles before commenting. >

It says nowhere in the article how much of the $6000 fine was directly for labor costs, but assuming they had 4 or fewer of these positions running these 5 hour shifts for a month, the wages would be in the $5000 range if they only worked 25 hours per week. Odds are high that the entire fine is the cost of wages. 
Considering the average franchise grosses 5.3m per year and they pay the franchise "owner" over 200k per year... They're not seeing anything resembling a penalty for this other than the loss of $1.25 for each meal ticket they gave out this way... 
Now to the actual substance of what you're replying to... the point the guy before you was making was that a fine of $6000 for a crime of not paying for labor valued at around $6000 is not a punishment. It's doing what you're supposed to because you got caught... This only reinforces that what he did was the correct thing to do in that area, because if you get caught you pay what they were owed and if you don't, you save money. Any amount of savings this way is an improvement, so this kinda ruling is a dog whistle to come exploit the people of this town, but don't be dumb enough to post it online or be public about it. >

To offset that "1.25 per meal voucher" is the savings on not paying the taxes or onboarding costs of hiring those workers part time. Having to pay back the wages without taxes or fees is a huge boon, likely. >

Oh yeah. And this is glossing over the fact that labor is worth more than you're paid for it anyways or they wouldn't pay you that much, so savings on labor related costs likely saves more than the food cost related to those vouchers. But let's not get too technical about it... I just wanted to paint the broad strokes of the situation >

Greed is not even being hidden these days.  In a time of instant communications.
Dystopian AF. >

And wanna know the biggest joke of that story?

The DOL has fined the franchisee $6,685 following an investigation that found certain employees were asked to direct traffic, then paid with meal vouchers instead of the minimum wage as legally required, the federal agency said on Monday.

That amount of fine for a Franchise that had a  Revenue of $5.8 billion in 2021, is just ridiculous.
E: To Adress the comment below, I was obviously referring that Chick-fil-A itself deserved a much higher fine and not just the franchisee. >

There's a drastic difference between Franchise and Franchisee. >

Yeah but the circle jerk. >

Exactly! What kind of a scumbag begrudges a poor, multi-national corporation simply because of exploitative business practices by one of it's partners? It would be different if they had the power to change that.  When the culture war spreads to chicken tenders, most hope is lost. >


It would be different if they had the power to change that.

How are they supposed to know that a franchisee is doing this? Now that it's in the news we can home them accountable if they don't do anything, but up until it becomes public knowledge it's not likely that the franchise is aware of what a single franchisee is doing. >

It’s not like this was sneakily hidden or under the table, this was a new store opening/refresh and they advertised soliciting volunteers on their official social media and it got tons of local media coverage. It was discussed here for days on end over television, in the newspaper, and online… It got covered on Forbes, CNN, & Business Insider. We’re only about three hours from the corporate headquarters in Atlanta and certainly there were “store openers“ and traveling managers from CFA corporate on site during the opening.
Sure, this location is a franchise, but if you think Chick-fil-A corporate opens new stores without sending a ground team to every fresh location, you don’t understand how corporate food service works >


Sure, this location is a franchise, but if you think Chick-fil-A corporate opens new stores without sending a ground team to every fresh location, you don’t understand how corporate food service works

I worked in corporate food service for a Taco Bell franchise years ago, no one from corporate was coming down when we'd open a new store, maybe because it was an existing franchisee that had a number of stores already. I can't speak for Chick-fil-A, but I could see this easily going under the radar at corporate. The people that would immediately think "Oh wow that's definitely illegal" aren't the people on the ground at the opening or checking social media for these kinds of promotions. >

CFA is 10000% different than Taco Bell. Like, apples to oranges. CFA corporate absolutely knows the store layout and everything about it. >

CFA corporate would have trained this guy, his managers, and met any significant others associated. At a minimum. >


The agency also found that three teenagers under the age of 18 were operating, loading and unloading a trash compactor.

Investigate any business that hires teens and this is happening >

Man I did some crazy sketchy work as a teen i am now finding out is against a few laws. >

At age 16 I would stand on a pallet while my coworker raised the forks of a forklift up so I could grab shit off a high shelf and the worst part is I thought I was so cool for doing something so dangerous for like $7 >

Were you directed by management to do that in any way? That's the big red flag. If there was a non hazardous way available to do it and you chose to bypass it, that's on you (as long as you were made aware of it). I just can't imagine any managers in a big corporation telling somebody to do that, better yet somebody underage. 
There's probably a cage and a harness available (probably still shouldn't be done by a minor), and the product is most likely on a pallet but the forklift driver didn't want to bring the pallet down or get the cage. If the person operating the forklift was also under 18 that's a big nono, but im guessing it was the forklift operator talking you into doing something you're not supposed to be doing because it makes their life easier. >

Place was a little mom and pop operation, maybe 10 employees, totally the fork lift drivers idea but the owners totally knew we did sketchy shit all the time and just turned a blind eye. We didn’t have a cage but we could have absolutely found a safer way to get up there >


a for-profit business can't hire volunteers to work, according to the Fair Labor Standards Act.

This is what's important. I've done tons of volunteer work that offers snacks and coffee and other things for those of us that show up, so I was confused what kind of volunteer work it was that they should have been paid. They had people show up and work their drive thru in exchange for meal vouchers (not actual meals). >

So if they called them unpaid interns, then it'd be OK? >

This isn't Chick-fil-a Corp this is a franchise. The way this is titled makes ir seem like the whole organization did this. >

Imagine getting paid in food, and then later also getting paid in money too. If this deal ever comes up from my employer I'm going to take it, get as much food as possible, then complain to the DOL once the amount of backpay has piled up a bit. >

Honestly, get a job at a pizza place.  I lived off free pizzas for years. You get paid, you get tips, and all your meals are covered.  It's a better job than you'd think >

As cool as that sounds if I was a teenager, I can't imagine subsisting off Pizza as an adult. Like one of the things that just gives me energy and makes me feel good day to day is eating (mostly) healthy. >

Yeah... employees cannot volunteer to work, and must be paid with money. Otherwise, businesses would be able to do shit like this, or just plain pressure employees into doing it. >

They weren't employees. The franchise was offering community members not employed by CFA to help with traffic flow in exchange for 5 entrees per hour worked.
All in all that's not really a bad deal if you enjoy CFA, but the law is the law. >

I would work an hour for 5 entrees. >

Yeah honestly that's a pretty good deal lol >

Agreed. At $5 per chicken sandwich, roughly 25 an hour in the form of chicken lol. I'd do it. >

$25/hr, tax free. The IRS isn't going to ask for 20% of your sandwiches.
I love a good spicy sandwich and an hour directing traffic doesn't sound that bad, lol >

Yes they will. Non-monetary compensation is absolutely taxable. There's a whole section of the US tax code that deals with how you should value and report it. You owe income taxes on all forms of compensation, not just money. >


Yes they will. Non-monetary compensation is absolutely taxable.

TIL.
That said, I'd assume there's some sort of loophole to allow non-monetary items to fly under as gifts / donations / etc. I know that when it comes to corporate discounts as an employee there's a specific limit to the discounts offered at which point the difference between that and the price you receive is taxable.
Of course that's not mentioning that nobody is going to report a sandwich. >

Gifts are taxable too. There's just a high floor you need to hit before you owe taxes on gifts. It's currently $16,000, I believe. >

So I should only give my best friend $15,000 in the event I decide to commit self checkout. Noted

!For legal reasons this is a joke!< >

A certain portion of society views working a job at Chic Fil A as a high school student as being akin to doing volunteer work for their church. >

Coincidentally, North Carolina used to have "volunteers" throughout the state that basically worked for food, with no additional pay. That practice, while very popular with voters at the time, was brought to an end by the Civil War. Looks like NC is trying to get back to its "Roots". Old time there is not forgotten. >

Look away, look away, look away takes on a whole new meaning. >

One location was fined for doing this. It was not a national brand endeavor. Headline is misleading. >

This is one dumb thing done by one idiot manager at one franchise. 
The fact that this will get so much attention on reddit is stupid. (yeah I realize the irony of my comment) >

A franchise owner in a small community had friends direct drive-thru traffic during a busy period, and gave them meal coupons as a thank you. And a couple 17 year olds operated the trash compactor. 
Seriously how the hell is this near the top of/r/all? >

It wasn't "friends." They were recruiting for these "jobs" on the internet and social media. When people kept pointing out that it's illegal, they doubled down and said "It's a volunteer position! Someone will want to do it!" >

They very clearly offered free meals up front. And people gladly accepted. They didn't hire someone and then refuse to pay them. >

That's not how labor law works. You can't just have your employees "agree" to anything less than minimum wage. >

But they close on Sundays because they are good Christians. >

Lots of slavery in the bible >

And the Southern Baptist Church was literally formed because they wanted to own slaves while being given positions in the church while the north refused to seat them. The SBC went on to be a major pro-slavery and then pro-white supremacy/segregational force for decades until 1995 when it did a formal apology. 
Though last I heard there are new schisms forming already with you know.. All the Trumpy racism in the evangelical society rearing its head again. >

I was a part of the American Baptist Church from 2005ish to 2015.
They still believed women shouldn't be pastors. They still preached hate against LGBTQ+. They still openly told children their siblings would go to hell for their sins. They frequently held the opinion that Planned Parenthood was only created to euthanize minorities.
I left shortly after a pastor was telling kids that I felt a personal responsibility to protect that their brother who was gay would go to hell. The brother wasn't even a part of the church. Then he proceeded to hate preach at the entire congregation over it and claim it's their job to go out and stop these behaviors. I promptly told the kids that an all-knowing, loving, and understanding God would not treat people that way. After that sermon, I never went back. >

I was 13 when my older brother died by suicide. Two weeks later my parents had me meet with a Baptist pastor for "counseling" and he told me my brother was in hell because he committed an unforgivable sin by taking his own life.
And they wonder why us younger generations are leaving Christianity in waves >

Atheism is the fastest growing religion, not Islam, and all you have to do is look at religion to find out why >

Until we start charging some real money for violations, this will continue. The fines need to be substantially more than any amount of gross profit made from illegal practices. But I shall piss in one hand and wish in the other… >

I worked at a big box home improvement store that had some sort of after work "scavenger hunt," where they hid gift cards in different places so that AS YOU DEEP CLEANED ALL THE RACKS FOR FREE,  you might be lucky enough to find one. I asked if it was required we be there. The HR guy gave me the, "we're just family having fun," speech. I said sorry I've got to get my kids from the sitter. I didn't have time, energy or money for that shit. >

The comments about it being a volunteer position are absurd. What in the hell is a volunteer program for a fast food place? Who is 'volunteering' to haul trash on an overnight shift? It's an employment position disguised with scummy loopholes to avoid paying people a normal wage. >

Uncle same does not accept chicken sandwiches as tax payment >

This one is owned by a guy who was instrumental in getting Madison Cawthorn elected.  Cawthorn was a "manager" at this store for a year. >

That district is a freaking circus >

Welcome to the company store kids!!!
Just spend your Chick-Fil-A bucks here...it's JUST as good as cash! >

I remember this. It was "sandwiches per hr" lol >

I'm glad this was discovered and the people held accountable. I worked at a Checkers when I was 18 and we basically did everything without question. >

Seems like feudalism is making a comeback. >

For profit businesses should not be allowed to have volunteers.
I'm looking at you F1... >

You guys acting like these employees were scammed or something lmao. 
They literally put out a post saying “Come volunteer and earn 5 free meals per hour worked”. 
All your doing by shutting that down is cutting off the people who accepted that deal. Not to mention the cash value of 5 free entrees is definitely higher than hat they would have been paid hourly. >

I doubt Redditors care about those people. They see "corporation breaks [arbitrary] law" and get all excited, just to be angry again. >

Wage laws are not arbitrary. They exist to protect people in desperate circumstances from exploitation. Hours worked by unpaid workers are hours that would have gone to paid workers. >

I got an ad for Popeyes chicken sandwich on the article.
"Eat at Popeyes, where we don't do child labor." >

Five free meals for an hour of work. That’s like $40/hr. If I was retired or whatever I’d take that deal. A few times a month. >

I'm a little conflicted on this one. A lot of breweries pay volunteers in beer when they put on a beer festival, and depending on the beer/brewery, it can be a fantastic deal for the volunteers. On the other hand, I think it would be an overall disturbing trend if this kind of thing caught on for just regular daily work that's needed. >

Next we will see a company use volunteers paid only in food and shelter and after that they will start tallying up a debt to the company for that food and shelter and then the “volunteers” will be working to work off the debt they built up volunteering….
Rich assholes enslaved people and got away with “paying” people in scrip and debt before. Pretty obvious they want to return all society back to that system. >

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII was born one morning when the sun didn’t shine, picked up my shovel and walked to the mine >

I owe my soul to the Chick fil a store......... >

I remember this news story when it came out. The idiot owners basically responded "No, they chose to take the position so it's okay that I violated federal labor laws!" Everyone and their mother saw this fine coming lol. >

Why tf is there a “volunteer program” for a for-profit business? >

It was people volunteering to help direct town traffic not any actual CFA job. If people volunteered they got coupons for 5 entries every hour volunteered. >

They weren't to direct town traffic.  They were to direct drive thru traffic.  That's a job. >

Was it really a volunteer program? I thought volunteering was volunteering and not working. 
This article doesn’t mention volunteering at all. 
Misleading title. >

That said, if you were going to spend your money on eating there, those meal vouchers are worth way more than what they'll get paid.   
Still hella illegal, but I can see why someone would do it.  work for an hour and take your whole family of 5 to chick fil a?   that shit gets expensive fast. >

Hm.. actually I didn't think of that.  If I had a family and the voucher was worth more than the hourly to me personally such that I preferred it, that could be win win and not truly unethical.  I guess the true evil or not evil aspect depends on multiple factors. 
 HOwever the opportunity to be unethical is why it's banned.   The govt wants to be the only one with the chance to be unethical after all! >

Government jobs pay significantly higher than minimum wage. >

We need a livable wage act that pins minimum wage to x+inflation. >

If minimum wage scaled with inflation from the 60s to today, average minimum wage in the US (dictated by each state) would be something like $35 an hour >

North Carolina. That state is not friendly to wage earners/employees. Had a friend that moved there, because it was cheap to live. He and his wife had hard time finding work. We both suspect it was: he was from the North and the discriminate against "yankees", that he was too smart (intelligence, not sarcasm), and that in North "caralacky", they can make you work Saturdays and Healthcare was an option (not required to be offered by employer). Now this was a decade ago, and they divorced/moved on since then. But from the information they shared, and watching some NC youtubers, I'd say Duke Sucks. >

The fine isn’t enough to discourage it >

Misleading AF
Not "Chick-fil-A," and not a "fine." A single franchise was ordered to pay back wages to the workers amounting to less than $7k.
Not corporate, and not a punishment. Fucking rage-baiting joke of a headline, shame on CBS. >

How dare you use facts to debunk my carefully crafted narrative against fundamental Christian values you monster.
You and your logical reasoning are not welcome here. We only accept emotional outrage as currency. >

Lmaoooo I know this chick-fil-a cuz I used to live in Hendo back in high school. Legit there were kids younger than 10 picking up trays and other misc stuff in the restaurant itself. Welcome to the Bible Belt where it’s seen as “teaching kids to work hard” instead of “this is fucking illegal child labor.” >

This is basically the same situation that Everquest had 22 or so years ago, they had a volunteer "guide" program where people would basically become their first layer of customer service and they were paid with free subscription ($15/month at the time).  Eventually they were sued and lost, had to pay them minimum salary multiplied by # of hours they were "guides" (which for some people was a lot). >

chick fil a are such fuckin bums blocking traffic for tiny shrinking portions they charge way too much money for and they just shrunk the portion size again in 2022 = TINY MEALS. >

Trying to save money so they can donate more to conversion therapy and anti-LGBTQ+ organizations >

This is like elephants working for peanuts >

Former employee here: CFA is not all sunshine and rainbows like everyone thinks it is. Sometimes the job can be fun but it’s just a glorified fast food job. If you like social media clout then go ahead but minus that you don’t get much value from it. >

Wait, is it volunteer or not??? >

Still comes out millions ahead.
That'll show em! >

I remember seeing this and thinking it would end with a lawsuit, here we are! >

Gotta wonder the morals of whoever thunk this up >

Can’t you pay your rent in chicken sandwiches /s? >

Because you can't tax a free meal. >

"I sold my soul to the company stooooooooore." >

A 6grand fine wholly shit thats not even one days gross. >

Doesn’t surprise me that it’s a Chick-fil-a doing shit like this. >

oh wow 6000 and some dollarydoos. chick fill ya gonna change their actions now! >

Good old Christian morals of slave labor. >

About half a year ago they announced this program and I called it cruel and a redditor argued with me that it was fine because it was volunteering. Glad to know this is illegal. >

To be fair, that’s exactly how church got people to work without pay >

Terrible company, disgusting food. I've been saying both these things for years. >

I bet they thought they were clever, reinventing company scrip. >

But petty theft stories from cvs will be wall to wall coverage on your local news and fox >

This is a single incident where they had a couple teens directing traffic and gave them chic fil a coupons..
Not widespread lootings >

When people want to argue min-wage laws, remind them we (shouldn't) but need laws to:

stop child labour
actually pay people
actually extract money after people have worked and aren't being paid. 
are used up and discarded
punish abuse 

Extracting profit labour will some day be looked at as a sin. >

The response is typically that “it’s smart business” to not do those things >

So was having slaves back in the day. >

Of course it’s the company with heavy Christian ties, somehow they always end up scummy >

This is one location, not the company as a whole. The article states that the company has stated that they do not endorse the "volunteer" program. >

And for the price of 50 teenagers, they could probably pay 25 people a solid living wage per store. But that's neither here nor there. >

Because they’re “Christian”. That’s what Christian’s do.  Jesus hated fast food workers. It’s in the Bible,  look it up. >

How is this wrong, but unpaid internships is perfectly fine? >

Taxes must be paid on barters >

Run by conservatives who love to promote the importance of work and capitalism. >

Wow! More companies exploiting their workforce with little to no consequences. >

Nothing screams good Christian like being greedy hateful garbage. >

They also really hate the gays. >

Ah yes, the Christian way. >

You can't pay me to eat at Chick-fil-A >

So they tried to skirt actually hiring more employees by giving customers free food to help out? That might be the sort of scrappy behavior a mom&pop in a small town can get away with, but an international franchise ? Gotta play by the rules.
There's also the opposite side of the coin where employers try to skirt overtime laws with "volunteer events". >

I wonder if the fine exceeds how much they saved by not paying their workers. >

Popeye's chicken sandwich is better anyways. >

Those good christian values on display… >

What is the problem, here? They volunteered for this. It isn't like they were some homeless people who were forced to work for chicken sandwiches or starve.
What's next, are you gonna sue an old lady on my behalf because I volunteered to help an old lady cross the street and my only form of compensation was some hard candy from her purse? >

This doesn’t fit the legal definition of volunteer work, which means this is wage theft. Helping an old lady cross the street doesn’t fall under federal labor laws. Working at a for-profit business does. >

Oh you're too broke to eat because we don't pay you enough?
Why don't you work some more and we'll allow you to eat. >

Not a new concept. Company store vibes. >

They fined them less than 7k. What a joke this country is >

It was a fine towards a single franchise owner that made the decision to do that against company policy. >


The DOL has fined the franchisee $6,685 following an investigation that found certain employees were asked to direct traffic, then paid with meal vouchers instead of the minimum wage as legally required, the federal agency said on Monday. 
The agency also found that three teenagers under the age of 18 were operating, loading and unloading a trash compactor, violating rules that prohibit minors from performing hazardous jobs. 

I don't think the owner deserves to have the book thrown at them, but $6,685 in back pay seems too lenient. >

People were loading a trash compactor, call out the dogs!!! >

Depending on the location, i’d rather get paid in chikfila food than minimum wage. >

The franchisee is the operator of both locations in Hendersonville. He also owns other businesses and lives on property that Zillow estimates is worth half a million dollars. 
The cherry on top is he works for a church and his LLC name is the following Bible verse: “A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, loving favor rather than silver and gold." 
Not very Christian to not pay people while this guy makes a fuckton of money, if you ask me. >

Hey my town is on the front page! Let's see what it's abou- oh...yeah. Chick-fil-A, Benson, Cawthorn, HVL First Baptist...😔 >

Next they aren't going to pay people in US dollars at all and instead going to pay in chick coins that you can redeem at the company store. >

I worked for a large coffee chain and there was an issue with employee pay all around. During a district meeting the manager sat there with a calculator totalling up the free coffee we get and how much our pay "actually" was. Needless to say I don't work there still. >

My employer does the same thing. They give you a paper with the cost of your benefits (insurance, meals, etc) and call it "total compensation". At least the paper specifically mentions how much of that is base wage, bonus, and benefits. >

They shouldn't even be allowed to call health insurance a "benefit" anymore. All it does is imply that they gave it to you and you aren't paying for it yourself with premiums. btw, my premiums are REALLY up there. >

In all but the smallest businesses your contribution to insurance is generally no more than 50%. If you’re paying $700 a month, they are too, and likely more than that. For a person with dependents on their plan this can be multiple thousands a month. 
The problem isn’t employers passing it off as compensation. The problem is employers footing $3,000 a month for you, your spouse, and a kid to have health insurance the government should be providing to begin with. >

Yep - employers being the gatekeepers/providers of healthcare was an anomaly to begin with and not one we need.  Time to move to tax-funded healthcare for all like the rest of the developed world already has. >

*like the elderly in the US already have. For some reason we continue to believe that only people who have had five decades or more to accumulate wealth are worthy of socialized medicine. >

There are also a lot of dirt poor elderly that need and use it >

What you said. Medicare and Social Security are designed to disproportionally help impoverished elderly without being a formal transfer of wealth tp that group. Both are transfer of wealth.
Including those above the poverty line improves political resiliency, even if the numbers are worked to effectively still be an elder pension and healthcare hand out. >

Do the volunteer workers get $$ from the fines? >

Talked to a relative who works for the US DOL.  She said it sounds like the $6,685 was for back wages directly owed to the "volunteers".  The liquidated damages that allow the DOL to fine employers under the FLSA are usually a lot higher. >

I hope the workers get it
Thanks >

I assume the fines are in addition to the unpaid hours worked. it's only a small franchise owner getting fined, not the Chick-fil-A corporate. >

That's what the article says. >

6K fine, that'll teach him..... >

It's not even a fine it's pretty much just them having to pay back what was owed.  
So basically there was no punishment.
But why would there be?  We have a legal system, not a justice system.  Who pays wins. >

What are you talking about? This is a fine on the franchise owner from the labor department. That's a punishment prescribed by law for a violation of the labor code. >

They are saying if you steal $1,000, then the police tell you to pay back $1,000 and nothing else, you aren't being punished. >

They also have to pay back the worker wages in legal tender. Please read articles before commenting.