An auto-parts maker in Alabama is under a federal court order to stop illegally employing workers as young as 13 years old to perform hazardous duties, the U.S. Department of Labor announced recently.
The U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Alabama issued the consent judgement Sept. 29, the DOL announced Oct. 11. In it, the court "permanently enjoined" SL Alabama LLC from violating child-labor provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and from shipping any parts manufactured within 30 days of a violation, the announcement reports. SL Alabama is an Alexander City, Ala.-based Hyundai and Kia auto-parts manufacturer, according to the DOL.
“Our investigation found SL Alabama engaged in oppressive child labor by employing young workers under the minimum age of 14," Wage and Hour Division (WHD) Birmingham District Director Kenneth Stripling said in the announcement, "and by employing minors under 16 in a manufacturing occupation.”
Employing minors for hazardous jobs violates child-labor provisions of the FLSA, the DOD states. Under the FLSA, it is illegal to ship goods made at sites where child-labor violations have occurred, and the DOL can solicit a court order to block interstate shipping of such goods, which "can apply to the employer who produced the goods and to anyone in possession of the goods," the report states.
In the consent judgement, SL Alabama is required to provide training materials to employees, subcontractors and "other entities" to ensure compliance with child-labor standards; enlist a third-party firm for quarterly training on child labor for all management and subcontractors for a three-year period; and the company must terminate, suspend or otherwise sanction managers or subcontractors responsible for child-labor violations. And, SL Alabama was made to pay $30,076 in civil penalties regarding the violations, the DOL reports.
“Employers are responsible for knowing who is working in their facilities," Stripling said in the report, "ensuring that those individuals are of legal working age, and that their employment complies with all federal, state and local labor laws.”
Regional Solicitor of Labor Tremelle Howard said the DOL "acted swiftly to protect workers as young 13, 14 and 15 years old from harm and prevent SL Alabama from employing these minors in hazardous occupations,” said agency reports.
“We will continue to take action and use all tools at our disposal to ensure young workers’ safety and well-being is not jeopardized by employers who fail to comply with the law," Howard said.
