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.
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.".
In addition to having to pay a fine, the franchisee during the summer faced a backlash on social media for offering to pay food instead of cash.
A now-deleted post on its Facebook page had the eatery asking for "volunteers" for its drive-thru.
The drive-thru job was "simply for those who want to earn some free Chick-fil-A," the eatery said in a screenshot of the post.
A corporate spokesperson told Insider in July that the company did not endorse the so-called volunteer program.
An employee who answered the phone at the Hendersonville Chick-fil-A told CBS MoneyWatch that staff had been instructed "not to make any comment.". »
