U.S. Labor Department Uncovers Surge in Child Labor Violations Within Meat Processing Industry

In fiscal year 2024, the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division concluded 736 investigations that uncovered child labor violations affecting 4,030 minors. This represents a 31% increase in affected children since 2019. Employers were assessed over $15.1 million in penalties, marking an 89% rise from the previous year.

A significant case involved Perdue Farms, a major poultry processing company. In January 2025, Perdue agreed to pay $4 million in restitution after the Department of Labor found that the company employed minors in hazardous roles at its Accomac, Virginia facility. The violations included tasks such as deboning chicken using electric knives and operating a heat-sealing press. Additionally, minors were found working past 7 p.m. on school nights, contravening the Fair Labor Standards Act.

The $4 million settlement is allocated as follows:

• Restitution to Affected Minors: Perdue established a $2 million fund to benefit the impacted children.

• Community Contributions: An additional $2 million is directed toward charitable organizations in the Accomac community and groups assisting unaccompanied migrant children. Initial recipients include the Eastern Shore Community College and Kids in Need of Defense (KIND).

Furthermore, Perdue agreed to pay a $150,000 civil penalty. The staffing agency involved, Staff Management Solutions LLC (SMX), was also implicated and agreed to pay a $125,000 civil penalty.

Perdue Farms fully cooperated with the Department of Labor's investigation, which did not identify any current underage workers at the company. While Perdue disagreed with the Department's findings of liability and made no admissions to the contrary, the company recognized that a prolonged dispute would not address the child labor crisis.

As part of the settlement, Perdue and SMX agreed to several compliance measures, including:

• Not hiring individuals under the age of 18 in certain locations.

• Providing mandatory child labor training for managers and employees.

• Establishing a tip line for employees to report compliance issues.

The Perdue Farms case is part of a broader pattern of child labor violations in the meat processing industry. Other notable cases include:

• Smithfield Foods: In December 2024, Smithfield agreed to pay a $2 million fine to resolve allegations of child labor violations at its St. James, Minnesota plant. The investigation revealed that from April 2021 to April 2023, the plant employed 11 children aged 14 to 17, some working beyond allowed hours and engaging in potentially dangerous tasks.

• Packers Sanitation Services Inc. (PSSI): An investigation found that PSSI employed at least 102 children aged 13 to 17 to perform nighttime shifts at 13 meat production sites across eight states. These minors were tasked with cleaning meat-processing tools using dangerous chemicals. PSSI was fined $1.5 million for these violations.

These cases underscore a troubling trend of child labor violations within the meat processing industry, prompting the Department of Labor to intensify enforcement efforts and implement stricter compliance measures.

The rise in child labor violations has significant social implications:

• Worker Exploitation: The employment of minors in hazardous conditions highlights vulnerabilities in labor practices and the potential exploitation of young workers.

• Community Impact: Such violations can erode public trust in major corporations and raise concerns about corporate responsibility and ethical labor practices.

• Regulatory Scrutiny: These developments have led to increased regulatory scrutiny and calls for more robust enforcement of labor laws to protect vulnerable populations.

The surge in child labor violations within the U.S. meat processing industry underscores the need for stringent enforcement of labor laws and corporate accountability. As the Department of Labor intensifies its efforts, it is imperative for companies to implement robust compliance measures to prevent the exploitation of minors and ensure a safe working environment for all employees.