Wage and Hour Division (WHD)

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SIOUX FALLS, SD -- The U.S. Department of Labor has finedSteve Owen Farms of Henry, South Dakota, $10,670 in civil money penalties for violating the youth employment provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) after a teenage worker lost his right arm in a grain auger accident.

"A young person's early work experience should be positive and educational and should never jeopardize their health, well-being, or educational opportunities," said Richard Habura, district director of the department's Wage and Hour office in Denver. "We urge employers to know what laws and restrictions apply to youth employment."

Investigators of the Wage and Hour Division determined that the 15-year-old was injured while operating a grain augur in violation of the FLSA’s child labor provisions. His coat sleeve became caught in the mechanism of the grain augur resulting in the loss of his right arm at the shoulder.

The FLSA generally prohibits employees under the age of 16 from operating certain types of farm equipment including but not limited to: grain combines, hay balers, auger conveyors, the unloading mechanism of a nongravity type wagon or trailer, or 20 horsepower PTO tractors which allow for attaching additional equipment or accessories to utilize the engine’s power.

For more information regarding the federal youth employment provisions, visit the department's YouthRules! website at www.youthrules.dol.gov. Additional information can also be obtained by calling the Department of Labor's toll-free help line at 1-866-4USWAGE (1-866-487-9243).

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