The US Department of Labor (DOL) has entered into an agreement with Perdue Farms Inc. and two staffing agencies to address child labor violations found at the company’s poultry processing facility in Accomac, Virginia. The agreement follows a long-standing investigation that began five years ago.
In 2020, the Wage and Hour Division found that Perdue Farms contracted with SMX to staff production-level jobs, resulting in children being employed in hazardous occupations. A recent article reported on a harrowing account of a 14-year-old boy who lost his arm while working at a Perdue slaughterhouse.
The DOL alleges that Perdue Farms and its contractors, Staff Management Solutions LLC and SMX LLC, violated the Fair Labor Standards Act’s child labor provisions. The company has agreed to pay $4 million in restitution to affected children and organizations, as well as a $150,000 civil monetary penalty. Staff Management Solutions will pay a $125,000 civil money penalty.
The agreement includes enhanced compliance measures, such as not hiring anyone under 18 in certain locations, providing mandatory training on child labor laws, and disciplining employees who fail to comply. The company has also agreed not to retaliate against employees who file complaints or testify in investigations.
The DOL has made significant progress in addressing child labor violations in recent years. In fiscal year 2024, the department concluded 736 cases involving 4,030 children nationwide, assessing employers over $15.1 million in civil money penalties – an 89 percent increase from the previous year.
Source: https://www.ehstoday.com/health/news/55261297/dol-reaches-agreement-with-perdue-farms-over-child-labor-violations