More than 100 children illegally employed in hazardous jobs

[moon/Laura]

I stumbled across this on Facebook, and I'm betting not a single one of the minors involved were white. The low penalty shows how little they really care, IMO. It's just lip service.


www.dol.gov/newsroom/releases/whd/whd20230217-1?fbclid=IwAR0QIqpM7lm3TjVh83wqjS_5gS-9v13OFXY_r5sqx63ZkOJHsxobFkuQbc8

More than 100 children illegally employed in hazardous jobs, federal investigation finds; food sanitation contractor pays $1.5M in penalties
Packers Sanitation Services Inc. employed minors to use caustic chemicals to clean razor-sharp saws, other high-risk equipment at 13 meat processing facilities in 8 states

KIELER, WI – One of the nation’s largest food safety sanitation services providers has paid $1.5 million in civil money penalties after the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division found the company employed at least 102 children – from 13 to 17 years of age – in hazardous occupations and had them working overnight shifts at 13 meat processing facilities in eight states.

The employer’s payment of civil money penalties is the result of the division’s investigation of Packers Sanitation Services Inc. LTD, based in Kieler, Wisconsin. The division found that children were working with hazardous chemicals and cleaning meat processing equipment including back saws, brisket saws and head splitters. Investigators learned at least three minors suffered injuries while working for PSSI.

[Tennesseer]

The fine PSSI paid on Thursday, $15,138 for each minor, is the maximum allowed under federal law. But investigators believe the company actually employed many more than the 102 children they verified. Under the consent judgment, Looman said, PSSI must identify and remove them from dangerous work.

More Than 100 Children Worked in Dangerous Jobs at Slaughterhouse Cleaning Firms, Officials Say

[moon/Laura]

I think that 'max' penalty is way too low. And it also wouldn't surprise me to find out that there were more. Easy to take advantage of those in dire circumstances.

[djAdvocate]

i agree.  50k each seems about right.  $5M would hurt.
another $50k each if they had no documents, or kited through their I9.