A federal judge upheld the U.S. Department of Labor’s $1.9 million assessment against Paragon Contractors Corp. and its owner, Brian Jessop, based on their long history of child labor violations.
The successor in interest, Par 2 Contractors LLC, also was held liable for the penalty amount, according to a May 9 release.
“Working with the Wage Hour Division, the U.S. Department of Labor has sought to hold these employers accountable for their willingness to defy federal child labor laws. The department’s investigation found the employers removed minors from school, forced them to perform hard work in pecan orchards and deprive them of their education," the Solicitor of Labor Seema Nanda said in the release. “We will address exploitative child labor practices like these with the department’s full enforcement resources.”
In Utah, an investigation found more than 200 children were being removed from school to work picking pecans, according to the release. In 2012, Paragon, Jessop, the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and others had employed the children – including more than 100 under the age of 12. They harvested pecans on a Utah ranch during school hours, which violates child labor provisions of the Fair Labor Standard Act.
"“Those who employ young workers must ensure the nature of their work, and the times at which they are employed, do not interfere with their education or put their safety in jeopardy,” Acting Wage and Hour Administrator Jessica Looman said in the release. “Child labor laws exist to help young workers gain valuable and safe workplace experience. Our investigators work tirelessly to root out abuses by unscrupulous employers."
