People are enjoying fast food in a food court. Image by Tim Sandle
Young people across the UK will benefit after McDonald’s becomes the latest major employer to support the Government’s Youth Guarantee and launches the largest work experience program in the country. Beneath the surface, however, more disturbing events are taking place within the burger giant.
In the UK, McDonald’s is under constant scrutiny over sexism, sexual harassment, bullying and wider abuse in the workplace, after BBC Investigations in 2023 AND again in 2025 that included testimony from more than 100 current and former workers—many aged 16–19—describing routine harassment, bullying, racist abuse and intimidation at restaurants, mostly run by franchisees.
McDonald’s is subject to a legally binding agreement with the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC), first signed in February 2023 and extended to November 2025 due to further claims and concerns.
As of April 2026The EHRC has confirmed it is still monitoring McDonald’s under an extended legally binding agreement after “further issues came to light”, while over 700 current and former staff are pursuing legal action claiming the company has failed to protect a young and vulnerable workforce; although McDonald’s says complaints have decreased and new safeguards have been put in place, the regulator and unions say serious concerns remain unresolved.
Legal action
As a result, more than 700 current and former McDonald’s employees – many of whom were teenagers at the time of the alleged incidents – are pursuing class action claims against McDonald’s UK, represented by law firm Leigh Day.
The claims allege:
- Systematic failure to prevent sexual harassment, sexual assault, racism and harassment, and breaches of the Equality Act 2010, including failing to provide a safe working environment.
- The cases cover hundreds of franchise restaurants across the UK, with allegations spanning several years.
- The plaintiffs argue that McDonald’s knew or should have known about the risks to young workers and failed to take adequate preventive steps.
While the corporate entity McDonald’s is a party to the EHRC agreement, individual franchise owners may still face separate legal and regulatory action.
The 700 plus current and former McDonald’s UK workers bringing claims – mainly represented by law firm Leigh Day– they are not following a single fixed payment figure. Instead, they are seeking individualized compensation, assessed on a case-by-case basis by employment tribunals or tribunals, reflecting the harm suffered by each claimant.
Individual cases
In addition to group action, individual employment tribunal claims are raised from workers claiming:
- Sexual harassment and discrimination
- Victimization for raising complaints
- Constructive unfair dismissal after reporting abuse
Some cases involve criminal charges (eg assault), which are dealt with separately by the police, but are part of wider civil claims about unsafe workplaces.
Alleged claims include:
- A worker left her job in the West Midlands at the end of 2023 after she said managers touched her inappropriately and customers sexually harassed her. When she picked it up, she says she was told to “suck it up.”
- A current 16-year employee based in the West Midlands says he was bullied, shouted at and sworn at by managers.
- A worker, 20, says a manager sent her topless photos. She left her McDonald’s branch in East Anglia in August.
Parliamentary review
In addition to the legal events, the parliament of the United Kingdom has also taken an interest in the issues. As such, McDonald’s UK leadership has been:
- Called before parliamentary select committees to explain defense failures
- Publicly criticized by unions and the EHRC for downplaying or “drawing a line under” past abuse as investigations and allegations continue
This scrutiny increases the likelihood of future regulatory or legal escalation if reforms are judged ineffective.
McDonald’s answer
McDonald’s UK and Ireland boss – Lauren Schultz – has said she “doesn’t want to talk about the past” when asked about allegations of abuse at the fast food chain. Although she added that what had happened in recent years was “unacceptable”, but said “we have drawn a line under it”. according to BBC News.
