Surge in Child Labor Violations Sparks Federal Crackdown

In fiscal year 2023, the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division (WHD) reported a significant increase in child labor violations, uncovering nearly 5,800 minors employed illegally—a staggering 88% rise since 2019. This surge has been attributed to factors such as labor shortages and economic pressures on families.

The WHD concluded 955 investigations in fiscal year 2023, marking a 14% increase from the previous year. These investigations led to more than $8 million in penalties, an 83% increase compared to the prior year. Jessica Looman, the agency’s wage and hour administrator, emphasized the ongoing challenges, stating, "While these enforcement results show we’re holding more employers accountable for exploiting kids, they also show there’s still work to do to prevent children from being exploited in the first place."

A notable case highlighting this issue involved Packers Sanitation Services Inc. (PSSI), one of the nation's largest food sanitation companies. In February 2023, PSSI was fined over $1.5 million for employing more than 100 minors, some as young as 13, in hazardous roles across multiple states. These children were tasked with cleaning meat processing equipment, including back saws, brisket saws, and head splitters, and were exposed to dangerous chemicals. The violations occurred across 13 facilities in eight states: Arkansas, Colorado, Indiana, Kansas, Minnesota, Nebraska, Tennessee, and Texas. The Department of Labor imposed a fine of $15,138 for each minor employed in violation of the law, totaling over $1.5 million—the maximum allowed under federal law.

In response to these violations, major meat producers such as Cargill, Tyson Foods, and JBS terminated contracts with PSSI at facilities where child labor violations were confirmed. Cargill went further by ending all 14 of its contracts with PSSI, stating, "We will not tolerate the use of underage labor within our facilities or supplier network."

The Department of Labor has initiated a National Strategic Enforcement Initiative on Child Labor to address this critical issue. This initiative aims to enhance compliance with child labor laws through targeted investigations and increased penalties for violations. Additionally, some states have proposed legislative changes to relax child labor laws to address staffing shortages, further complicating the issue.

The resurgence of child labor violations in the U.S. meatpacking industry serves as a stark reminder of the vulnerabilities within labor compliance systems. It underscores the necessity for stringent enforcement of existing laws, corporate accountability, and proactive measures to protect minors from exploitation in hazardous occupations.