Illinois AG Sues Lockport McDonald’s Owner, Seeks Millions Over 568 Child-Labor Violations

The Illinois attorney general filed a civil enforcement lawsuit March 5, 2026, accusing Lockor, LLC and its president and manager, Nicholas J. Kory, of 568 violations of the Illinois Child Labor Law at the McDonald’s franchise at 1039 E. 9th St. in Lockport. The complaint, brought by Kwame Raoul in the Circuit Court of Cook County, County Department, Chancery Division, seeks civil monetary penalties, a permanent injunction, and distribution of any penalties to the minors harmed and to the state’s enforcement fund.

The lawsuit rests on an Illinois Department of Labor audit covering January 1, 2023 through July 8, 2023 that began after IDOL received a complaint in July 2023 alleging employees under 16 were working late-night shifts. IDOL issued a Notice of Violation on November 2, 2023 that assessed civil penalties totaling $2,179,000; the complaint states that, to date, Lockor has paid nothing toward that assessment.

The complaint identifies at least 26 minors aged 14 and 15 who worked at the restaurant during the audit period and alleges a catalogue of specific breaches: failing to obtain required employment certificates for 14- and 15-year-old students, permitting minors to work without required rest and meal breaks, allowing minors to work late into the night including as late as 1:00 a.m., permitting shifts over eight hours and, in one instance, shifts as long as 17 hours, and numerous excessive-hours violations during the school year. The complaint says minors worked in violation nearly every day the restaurant was open, and it enumerates 55 instances in which minors worked more than five hours without a required meal or rest break.

Illinois Department of Labor Director Jane Flanagan characterized the conduct in blunt terms: "This case should send a clear message: exploiting children in the workplace will not be tolerated in Illinois." Flanagan added, "These are not technical violations — they are serious breaches that put young people’s health, safety, and education at risk."

The complaint cites the Child Labor Law, 820 ILCS 205/0.5 et seq., and invokes the Attorney General Act, 15 ILCS 205/6.3(b), as the basis for civil enforcement. The filing attaches IDOL’s November 2, 2023 Notice of Violation as an exhibit and asks the court to award civil monetary penalties and equitable relief, including a permanent injunction to prevent further violations.

Defendant Nicholas Kory issued a brief public statement in response to the allegations: "We take these allegations seriously. They do not reflect our organization’s values or the standards we set for ourselves as a local business or an employer in the community. We are committed to ensuring that all our employees feel safe, respected and valued." The complaint, however, frames the violations as systematic and egregious and states: "Now, the Illinois Attorney General files this action to hold Lockor and Kory accountable for their egregious, unlawful employment of children in violation of State law."

The case will proceed in Cook County Chancery Division under the complaint filed March 5, 2026, with the attorney general seeking both monetary penalties and injunctive relief to stop further violations of Illinois child-labor protections.