The U.S. Department Of Labor ‘Files Complaint To Stop’ Hyundai Manufacturer & Its Partners ‘From Using, Profiting From Oppressive Child Labor’ - Alleges Three Companies Jointly Employed Child ‘Who Worked Up To 60 Hours A Week Making Auto Parts’
(MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA) - The U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL) has filed a complaint asking a Federal Court to prevent three Alabama companies, including a Hyundai U.S. Assembly and Manufacturing Plant, from employing children illegally.
The complaint also requests the Court require the companies to surrender profits related to the use of oppressive child labor.
The action follows an investigation by the USDOL’s Wage and Hour Division that found a 13-year-old worked up to 50-60 hours per week on an assembly line in Luverne, Alabama operating machines that formed sheet metal into auto body parts.
In the complaint filed in Federal Court, the USDOL named as defendants Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama LLC, SMART Alabama LLC and Best Practice Service, LLC.
Best Practice Service sent the child to SMART Alabama, which provided component parts to Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama.
In the complaint, the USDOL alleged all three jointly employed the child.
The USDOL went on to allege that between July 11th, 2021 through February 1st, 2022 the companies willfully and repeatedly violated Child Labor Provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).
The complaint further alleges the companies violated the “hot goods” provision of the FLSA.
“The Department of Labor’s complaint seeks to hold all three employers accountable in the supply chain,” Solicitor of Labor Seema Nanda said. “Companies cannot escape liability by blaming suppliers or staffing companies for child labor violations when they are in fact also employers themselves.”
“A thirteen-year-old working on an assembly line in the United States of America shocks the conscience,” Wage and Hour Division Administrator Jessica Looman said. “As we work to stop illegal child labor where we find it, we also continue to ensure that all employers are held accountable for violating the law.”
To Continue Reading This Labor News Story, Go To: US Department of Labor files complaint to stop Hyundai manufacturer, partners from using, profiting from oppressive child labor | U.S. Department of Labor (dol.gov)
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