A Detroit grocery store employed several minors in violation of U.S federal child labour laws by allowing them to operate trash compactors and tend to bottle recycling machines.
Following a U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division investigation, Greenfield Market paid civil money penalties of $10,000 after investigators found the employer allowed workers between 15 and 17-years-old to operate or tend to the machinery. They also determined the employer scheduled 15-year-olds to work after 7 p.m., more than three hours on a school day and allowed them to work more than 18 hours in a workweek, all child labour law violations. In addition, Greenfield Market failed to maintain complete records of employee birthdates.
“Employing young people provides valuable work experience, but that experience must never come at the expense of their safety or education,” said Wage and Hour Division District Director Timolin Mitchell, in Detroit. “Businesses that employ minors must comply with federal laws that protect youth in the workforce.”
The Fair Labor Standards Act establishes both hours and occupational standards for minor employees. Children under age 18 may not be employed in any occupation the Secretary of Labor has declared to be hazardous. Employers must follow these rules unless a specific exemption applies.
