35 million to the family of a 14-year-old employee who was raped by the store manager in Pittsburgh. The manager, Walter A. Garner, was a convicted sex offender at the time of the incident, raising serious questions about the hiring practices and safety protocols implemented by McDonald's restaurants across the country.

Attorney Alan Perer, representing the victim's family, expressed his hope that this substantial settlement would serve as a powerful message to McDonald's and its franchises to prioritize the safety and well-being of its employees. Perer emphasized, "How is it that a convicted, registered sex offender is permitted to be hired and manage 14- to 17-year-old girls at a McDonald's? This question is especially pertinent because McDonald's aggressively recruits young teens for their first, best job."

The lawsuit filed by the victim's family alleged that McDonald's and its franchisee were aware, or should have been aware, of Garner's criminal history prior to the tragic incident. The settlement is directly with Rice Enterprises, which plans to sell all eight of its franchises in order to fulfill the financial compensation to the victim's family.

Notably, McDonald's USA is not held responsible in this case, but Perer believes that the global corporation should adopt strict protocols governing the hiring practices of its franchises. He argues that if the case had gone to a jury trial, evidence would have supported the claim that McDonald's, as a company that actively recruits and controls over 30,000 franchise restaurants, should shoulder some responsibility. Perer stated, "They would be held responsible with the franchise McDonald's."

At present, KDKA has reached out to McDonald's USA for comments on the settlement, but there has been no response yet. It remains to be seen if this high-profile case will prompt McDonald's to reassess and strengthen its safety measures for employees across the nation.

This settlement serves as a stark reminder of the importance of ensuring a safe working environment for young employees. It is a call to action for not just McDonald's, but all businesses that employ young individuals, to thoroughly vet their staff and implement stringent protocols to prevent such tragic incidents in the future.