JBS USA, one of the country’s largest meat processors, announced last week that it was moving its sanitation operations in-house. Prompting change: The increased scrutiny from federal regulators has already led at least one business to change their practices. In April, the DOL sought a permanent injunction and fined the operator of a Tennessee-based Comfort Inn for “oppressive child labor violations” when it employed two kids younger than 12. Children under 14 aren’t allowed to work in non-agricultural operations at all, other than some limited exceptions, like for acting. Like in the Kentucky McDonald’s case, it’s illegal for children to use a deep fryer that doesn’t have automatic devices to lift the baskets in and out of the oil.Īge restrictions. There are more restrictions for 14- and -15 year- olds, especially when it comes to cooking and baking operations. Minors are barred from completing certain tasks that have been found “dangerous” by the DOL. and after 7 p.m., which are all prohibited under the Fair Labor Standards Act. Similar to the Kentucky McDonald’s franchise cases, DOL recently found that a Georgia Zaxby’s allowed more than a dozen 14- and 15-year-olds to work more than three hours on a school day, beyond the 18-hour limit for a school week, and before 7 a.m. Here’s a breakdown of some of the recent violations DOL has uncovered since launching the enforcement program:Ĭhildren working after hours. In response, the Biden administration launched a special enforcement initiative in February, and recently requested that meatpacking companies audit their workforces for potential child labor exploitation. The public and the agency’s renewed attention to the issue comes after several media reports and a DOL investigation uncovered that more than 100 undocumented children as young as 14 working overnight shifts cleaning meatpacking facilities for Packers Sanitation Services. The agency discovered one of the franchises also permitted two 10-year-olds to work as late as 2 a.m., and had one operating a deep fryer. franchise operators allowed more than 300 kids to work more hours than the law permits, DOL investigators announced last week. Rebecca Rainey: The US Labor Department’s Wage and Hour Division continues to uncover alarming instances of children working in illegal and unsafe conditions after announcing an enforcement effort just a few months ago to try and reverse a growing tally of labor violations involving minors. Monday morning musings for workplace watchers.
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