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Archived News Release--Caution:
information may be out of date.
For more information call: (214) 767-4777
A Louisiana farm was fined $2,075 for illegal employment of two
children, 9 and 10 years old, and is under a court ordered consent decree
requiring it to comply with federal child labor and other labor laws. The court
order is the result of action brought by the U.S. Department of Labor.
Investigators from the department's Wage and Hour Division found the two
children picking strawberries and carrying trays of strawberries to be counted
in a field in Louisiana managed by Arnone Farm, Inc. of Amite. The farm owners
refused to provide employment records until subpoenaed. Subsequently, Arnone
Farm agreed to a consent decree which is filed in the U.S. District Court,
Eastern District of Louisiana.
"Children this young should be doing homework, not field work," said
Secretary of Labor Alexis M. Herman. "The department will continue to
vigorously enforce the child labor laws and pursue legal action to protect the
nation's youth."
Under the terms of the court order, Arnone Farm agreed it will not
violate the child labor provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act, that it
will not ship "hot goods", and it will pay workers the minimum wage. The "hot
goods" provision of the FLSA prohibits the shipment in interstate commerce of
goods produced in violation of the act.
In addition, the farm agreed to a compliance monitoring program which
requires it to train each of its employees and agents, including farm labor
contractors and seasonal workers, about child labor. The farm also will file
written reports detailing its compliance activities and steps taken to remedy
labor violations. Arnone also agreed to voluntary follow-up inspections by the
Wage and Hour Division.
The FLSA generally prohibits the employment of minors under the age of
12 to work in agriculture. Minors, aged 12 and 13 may work outside school hours
in farm jobs not declared hazardous when they are employed on the same farms as
their parents or have written parental consent to work elsewhere. Fourteen and
15-year-old youth can be legally employed in any nonhazardous farm jobs outside
of school hours.
This recent action in Louisiana is part of the Wage and Hour Division's
nationwide focus on increasing compliance in the agriculture industry. This
year Wage and Hour will conduct more than 50 enforcement sweeps with a special
emphasis on child labor compliance.
Archived News Release--Caution:
information may be out of date.
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