Wage and Hour Division (WHD)

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NEW YORK -- Target Corporation has paid the U.S. Department of Labor $92,400 in civil money penalties for exposing young workers to hazardous machinery in violation of the youth employment provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). The violations occurred at six Hudson Valley, New York-area stores and one New Jersey store.

According to Corlis Sellers, Northeast regional administrator for the department’s Wage and Hour Division, an investigation by her agency found youth employment “hazardous order” violations at Target retail stores in Kingston, Spring Valley, White Plains, Middletown, Poughkeepsie and W. Nyack, N.Y., and in the company’s Mays Landing, N.J., store. In all, 29 minors were operating either power-driven hoisting apparatus or power-driven scrap paper balers, or in some cases, both. The FLSA’s regulations prohibit young workers under the age of 18 from operating such equipment.

Target withdrew its earlier request for an administrative law judge hearing on this matter and paid the full civil money penalty. The company also provided the department with an outline of the steps it will take in its New York and New Jersey stores to ensure full compliance with all youth employment regulations in the future.

“The Labor Department increased the fines in this case because Target had previously violated the child labor hazardous occupations order at other store locations,” said Sellers. “We are pleased that Target has committed to taking proactive measures to protect youth working in its New York and New Jersey stores from engaging in hazardous work in the future.”

The investigation was conducted by the White Plains, N.Y. area office and Lawrenceville, N.J. district office of the Labor Department’s Wage and Hour Division. Information on the youth employment requirements of the FLSA may be obtained by calling the department’s toll-free help line at 1-866-4US-WAGE (1-866-487-9243). Information is also available on the Internet at www.youthrules.dol.gov.

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