Stella's Ice Cream, a Nampa-based ice cream manufacturer, is facing over $320,000 in civil money penalties after investigations found that several Idaho retail locations "put the safety of dozens of children at risk by employing them to perform dangerous tasks and work later than the law allows," according to a press release. Stellas Ice Cream locations in Boise, Caldwell, Nampa, and Eagle were found employing children to "operate industrial mixers, drive a delivery van, and work during times forbidden by law."Investigators with the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division determined that the employer regularly employed workers between the ages of 14 and 15 to work past 10:30 p.m.Learning new skills in the workforce is an important part of growing up, but we must protect children and ensure their first jobs are safe and do not interfere with their education or well-being, said Wage and Hour Division District Director Katherine Walum. The Fair Labor Standards Act allows for work experiences but restricts the employment of young workers in certain jobs and provides for penalties when employers do not follow the law.Federal regulations prohibit 14 and 15-year-olds from working past 7 p.m., except between June 1 and Labor Day, when the hours are extended to 9 p.m.During its investigation, it was also found that the company shared tips earned by tipped workers with managers and supervisors, which is also in violation of federal regulations this finding led to the recovery of nearly $80,000 in back wages and liquidated damages for affected workers.