Wage and Hour Division (WHD)

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SEATTLE -- The U.S. Labor Department announced that Hae Rym Corporation, doing business as Burger Express in Federal Way, Wash., has been assessed $9,542 in civil money penalties for violations of the youth employment provisions of the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

An investigation by the department’s Wage and Hour Division found that the company violated the FLSA by employing 15 -, 16- and 17- year-old minors to operate meat slicers. One minor was injured and continued to operate a meat slicer after returning to work. The company also violated federal regulations by allowing 15-year-old minors to work more than three hours on school days and later than 9 p.m. Additionally, the company failed to maintain accurate records of hours worked by employees.

The investigation covered the period from March 16, 2002, until March 12, 2004.

The FLSA details hours that minors under age 16 may work and specifies hazardous occupations prohibited for minors under age 18. The law allows 14- and 15-year-olds to work during the school year, but not later than 7:00 p.m. (9:00 p.m. from June 1 until Labor Day) and for no more than three hours on school days or 18 hours during the school week. These minors may work up to eight hours on non-school days or 40 hours during non-school weeks.

Information about the federal youth employment laws may be found at www.youthrules.dol.gov, which was developed in conjunction with the department’s YouthRules! public awareness campaign to educate teens, parents, educators, employers and the public about federal and state laws regarding young workers.

For more information about the other provisions of the FLSA, call the Seattle Wage and Hour Office at 206-398-8039 or the department’s toll-free help line at 1-866-4USWAGE (1-866-487-9243). Information is also available at www.wagehour.dol.gov.

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