The U.S. Department of Labor has reached an agreement with QSI LLC, a cleaning contractor based in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The company is required to pay $400,000 in civil money penalties and implement measures to prevent the employment of children in hazardous jobs. This decision follows an investigation by the department's Wage and Hour Division that revealed QSI employed minors on overnight sanitation shifts at 13 meat and poultry processing facilities across several states from January 2021 through February 2024, violating the Fair Labor Standards Act.
Violations were identified in Alabama, California, Delaware, Indiana, Iowa, Ohio, Tennessee, and Virginia. Solicitor of Labor Seema Nanda stated, "The Department of Labor is determined to stop our nation’s children from being endangered in jobs for which they should never be hired." She emphasized that QSI LLC is now taking responsibility for its past violations by agreeing to robust compliance practices at all work locations.
As part of the agreement, QSI LLC must conduct a re-survey of its work locations to identify any employees under 18 years old. They are also required to review child labor compliance training materials for managers and maintain accurate employee records detailing birth dates and assigned tasks. Furthermore, an anti-child labor provision must be included in third-party contracts along with Fact Sheet #43 on Child Labor in Non-Agriculture Occupations.
A toll-free hotline will be maintained by QSI LLC for individuals seeking guidance or wishing to report child labor compliance concerns anonymously. Wage and Hour Division Administrator Jessica Looman remarked that "the safety of young workers will always be the top priority for the U.S. Department of Labor."
Since 2022, the department has investigated multiple third-party contractors providing sanitation services at meat packing establishments nationwide. Investigations into QSI uncovered instances where children were employed illegally in dangerous roles during overnight shifts at facilities located across several states.
In similar cases within Iowa involving other cleaning contractors like Qvest LLC and Fayette Janitorial Service LLC, consent judgments were obtained after these companies were found employing minors unlawfully.
During fiscal year 2024 alone, department investigators discovered over 4,000 instances where children had been employed contrary to federal child labor laws—resulting in more than $15.1 million assessed against employers as civil money penalties—marking an increase of 89 percent compared to previous years.
The division remains committed to protecting children with over 1,000 ongoing investigations into child labor practices currently underway. Workers or employers can contact the division confidentially through their toll-free helpline (866-4US-WAGE) available in more than 200 languages for further information about child labor regulations related specifically towards dangerous occupations prohibited under age eighteen restrictions.
