One of the nation’s largest meat processors has agreed to pay $2 million to resolve allegations of child labor violations at a plant in Minnesota. The state's labor department said Thursday that its investigation found that Smithfield Packaged Meats employed at least 11 children at its plant in St.
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An investigation by the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry found that the Smithfield Packaged Meats subsidiary employed at least 11 children at its plant in St. James ages 14 to 17 from April 2021 through April 2023, the agency said. Three of them began working for the company when they were 14, it said. Smithfield let nine of them work after allowable hours and had all 11 perform potentially dangerous work, the agency alleged.
As part of the settlement, Smithfield also agreed to steps to ensure future compliance with child labor laws. U.S. law prohibits companies from employing people younger than 18 to work in meat processing plants because of hazards.“sends a strong message to employers, including in the meat processing industry, that child labor violations will not be tolerated in Minnesota.”that it denies knowingly hiring anyone under age 18 to work at the St.
“Smithfield is committed to maintaining a safe workplace and complying with all applicable employment laws and regulations,” the company said. “We wholeheartedly agree that individuals under the age of 18 have no place working in meatpacking or processing facilities.” The state agency said the $2 million administrative penalty is the largest it has recovered in a child labor enforcement action. It also ranks among the larger recent child labor settlements nationwide. It follows aAlso last year, the U.S. Department of Labor levied over $1.5 million in civil penalties against one of the country’sto make sure they aren’t illegally hiring children for dangerous jobs.
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