Meatpacking Company Hit with Massive Fine for Child Labor Violation at Minnesota Plant
St. Paul, MN (KROC-AM News)- A meatpacking company has been fined for violating child labor laws at its plant in southern Minnesota.
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The Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry (DLI) announced its largest fine resulting from a child labor audit in the agency’s history on Thursday.
A DLI news release says the audit covered a two year period from April of 2021 through April of 2023.
DLI says the audit uncovered multiple violations of Minnesota’ child labor laws at the Smithfield Meat Packing Plant in St. James.
Smithfield Receives Record Fine for Child Labor Law Violation at St. James, MN Plant
The company is accused of employing at least 11 minors between the ages of 14 and 17. Three of the workers began working at the plant when they were 14 years old, the news release says.
DLI says Smithfield employed nine of the 11 minors after hours they are permitted by law to work. The massive meatpacking company is also accused of assigning the minor workers to hazardous tasks, including operating meat grinders, slicers and other machinery, officials say.
The minors were also working near chemicals and other hazardous substances at the southern Minnesota plant, DLI says.
Smithfield has been fined $2 million by DLI. The company also has been ordered to take steps to ensure child labor compliance, conduct industry outreach related to child labor compliance and contractually require child labor law compliance with staffing agencies, the news release says.
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