Fayette Janitorial Service has been fined $649,000 by the United States Department of Labor for hiring minors, some as young as 13, to work in dangerous jobs cleaning slaughterhouses. The company had employed at least 24 children, who were working overnight shifts at two separate slaughter facilities in violation of federal labor laws. Children are banned from certain jobs in slaughtering and meat packaging plants, including using or cleaning machinery due to the hazardous conditions.
In addition to paying the fine, Fayette must hire a third party to prevent instances of child labor and set up a way to report concerns that children are being employed. The company acknowledged that the use of fraudulent identification documents had allowed minors to circumvent their policies, and stated that they have since made substantial investments in systems and technologies to prevent this from happening again. Fayette has cooperated with the DOL and stated that their goal is to ensure a safe and compliant work environment for all employees.
The investigation found that children were working at Seaboard Triumph Foods Plant in Sioux City, Iowa, and at a Perdue Farms poultry processing facility in Accomac, Virginia. The minors were tasked with cleaning dangerous equipment such as head splitters and meat bandsaws, which are banned for children to work with due to safety concerns. Perdue Farms terminated its contract with Fayette Janitorial Services before the court filing and stated that underage labor has no place in their business or industry.
Seaboard, a pork processor, also ended all contracts with Fayette in response to the investigation. Instances of illegal child labor have been on the rise in recent years, with other contractors like Packers Sanitation Services also being fined for employing minors in hazardous occupations. Last year, the company paid $1.5 million in civil penalties for having minors work overnight shifts in violation of labor laws.
The Department of Labor has been cracking down on companies that employ minors in dangerous jobs, with fines and injunctions being issued to ensure compliance with labor laws. The investigation into Fayette Janitorial Service and their employment of minors highlights the importance of maintaining safe and legal working conditions for all employees, especially when it comes to protecting children from hazardous work environments.
Efforts to prevent child labor and ensure compliance with federal labor laws will be crucial in preventing similar incidents in the future. By holding companies accountable for violations and implementing safeguards to prevent the exploitation of minors, the Department of Labor aims to protect the rights and safety of all workers, regardless of age. Collaboration between companies, third parties, and regulatory agencies will be key in upholding labor standards and preventing instances of illegal child labor in the future.
