A Tennessee sawmill operator will pay more than $73,000 in penalties and turn over $10,000 in profits for violating child labor laws.
The announcement comes after a Department of Labor investigation found that Plateau Sawmill, a company with about nine employees, had tasked two children as young as 14 with unloading wooden boards from a conveyor belt. This violated Fair Labor Standards Act provisions that prohibit minors under 18 from operating such equipment.
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The company also violated the act’s minimum age standard by employing a 13-year-old. Wage and Hour Division investigators discovered that the three children started shifts as early as 6 a.m., which is one hour earlier than legally allowed.
As a result, Plateau Sawmill has been ordered to pay $73,847 in civil money penalties and give up $10,000 in profits.
The company also agreed to audit machinery to identify hazardous equipment and label it to warn employees that it cannot be operated by anyone under 18. Other stipulations include reviewing and enhancing its policies and training materials related to child labor laws, as well as implementing suspension or termination for managers found responsible for violating such laws.
The labor department reported that, in fiscal year 2023, it investigated 955 child labor cases that affected nearly 6,000 children. These cases included over 500 children who were employed in violation of hazardous occupation standards.
Employers faced over $8 million in penalties.
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