DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND INDUSTRY FOUND COMPANY ILLEGALLY EMPLOYED MINOR CHILDREN
The Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry has entered into a consent order with Smithfield Packaged Meats, Corporation in St. James to resolve a child labor compliance order. The consent order requires Smithfield to a pay $2-million administrative penalty, the largest penalty DLI has recovered in a child labor enforcement violation. DLI’s investigation over a two-year audit period from April 2021 to April 13,2023 and found Smithfield employed at least 11 minor children between the ages of 14 and 17 and found that all the children performed hazardous work for Smithfield including working near hazardous chemicals, operating power-driven machinery including meat grinders, slicers and power-driven conveyor belts among other things. The legislature passed amendments to the Minnesota Child Labor Standards Act this year to better protect minor children and discourage employers from violating child labor laws. The changes went into effect August 1st.
