Wal-Mart obligated to pay $135,540 for violating child labor laws
02/26/05 12:00pm
The U.S. Department of Labor announced on Monday that Wal-Mart, the
world's largest retailer, agreed to pay $135,540 last month for
violating the youth employment provisions of the Fair Labor Standards
Act.
Investigations revealed that Wal-Mart allowed 85 teenage workers to
operate hazardous equipment at stores in Arkansas, Connecticut, and
New Hampshire resulting in one teenager being injured while operating
a chain saw.
The Act prohibits the employment of minors under age 18 in any
occupation determined hazardous by the Department of Labor, and has
issued 17 specific hazardous occupation orders identifying these
prohibited occupations.
Under the agreement terms, Wal-Mart admitted to no wrongdoing,
guaranteed full compliance with the youth employment provisions of the
FLSA in the future and will receive 15 days' notice "of any audit or
investigation at the stores covered by this agreement."
The Labor Department has been criticized for going soft on Wal-Mart,
especially in giving the world's largest employer a 15 days' heads-up
before department investigators drop-in.
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