America took the first steps to protect its youth from hazardous labor conditions in the 1930s. The Department of Labor demonstrated their commitment to upholding child safety standards more than eighty years later when they brought a strong case against one of our country’s major food sanitation service providers.
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On February 17, the federal agency fined meat processing provider Packers Sanitation Services Inc. LTD more than $1.5 million for exposing minors as young as 13 to unsafe working conditions in their 13 plants across the country – all of which were discovered after DOL received an anonymous tip-off in August 2022.
On November 9, 2022, the Solicitor’s Office revealed a case in which 41 child laborers were illegally employed in factories across America. What they thought was just a few facilities quickly proved to be far more widespread and necessitated immediate action: PSSI agreed without delay to implement compliance with US labor laws at every factory it operates.
Despite the fact that the majority of meat-packing plants employ few underage children, three major companies were penalized for employing significantly more. JBS Foods in Nebraska and Minnesota employed a total of 49 minors, while Cargill Inc employed 26 children, resulting in hefty fines totaling over a million dollars!
When the federal government attempted to investigate PSSI’s employment practices, Michael Lazzeri, the DOL’s Wage and Hour Division’s Chicago regional administrator, quickly noticed that minors were being employed. Despite his agency’s warnings, those responsible attempted to stymie any progress in uncovering their illegal hires. However, a warrant was soon issued, exposing the shady working conditions of this notorious organization.
Lazzeri has highlighted the alarming rise in child labor violations in the United States, which has increased by 50% since 2018. This concerning trend jeopardizes our children’s safety and well-being; we must act as soon as possible to ensure their safety.
