WASHINGTON – In one of the largest wage violation settlements ever reached for U.S. poultry workers, a federal court in Los Angeles has entered a consent judgment that orders Fu Qian Chen Lu, Bruce Shu Hua Lok and others as owners and operators of a network of California poultry processors and distributors to pay $4.8 million in back wages and damages to 476 workers and $221,919 in penalties after a U.S. Department of Labor investigation.
The settlement arises from a case where the employers were found to have illegally employed children, some as young as 14 years old, to work with sharp knives deboning poultry, a violation of federal child labor regulations. Additionally, the employers denied overtime wages to workers and falsified payroll records to obstruct the probe.
“When we find an employer has put a child’s well-being at risk in return for profit, the Department of Labor will use all available tools to seek to remove children from harm’s way and prevent future violations, including stopping the shipment or sale of goods located where children are being exploited,” explained Solicitor of Labor Seema Nanda.
The investigation also revealed retaliatory actions by the employers towards workers who cooperated with the probe. Wage and Hour Administrator Jessica Looman emphasized, “Federal labor laws protect children from being employed in dangerous jobs and protect workers’ right to be paid all of their legally earned wages.”
The judgment in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California orders Lu and his associated businesses to pay more than $1.8 million in back wages and $3 million in damages to the affected workers. The employers must also pay civil money penalties for their violations and disgorge profits earned from the sale of goods tainted by oppressive child labor.
The Department of Labor's ongoing effort to combat child labor abuses and wage theft in the poultry and meat processing industries has led to significant recoveries in recent years, showcasing a commitment to protecting vulnerable workers in the industry.
