Wage and Hour Division (WHD)

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DETROIT --

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division is investigating supermarkets randomly selected in 47 rural Michigan counties, to determine if they are in compliance with the youth employment provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), the agency announced today.

The investigations follow extensive educational outreach efforts aimed at rural Michigan supermarkets over the past two years. In 2005, individual consultation visits were made to 60 supermarkets to deliver and personally discuss with store operators educational materials on youth employment laws. The Wage and Hour Division mailed compliance assistance information to some 485 supermarkets in the 47 counties in 2004.

Investigations of rural supermarkets conducted in 2003 and 2004 by the Labor Department found children under age 16 working later or for more hours than permitted by federal regulations. The investigations also disclosed minors operating power-driven meat slicers and dough-mixing machines and box compactors in violation of federal law.

“As a result of our previous initiatives, we realized the need to continue raising awareness of the laws that protect vulnerable young employees,” said James Smith, district director of the Wage and Hour Division in Detroit. “We will continue to work with employers to ensure that teens have safe and rewarding work experiences during hours that do not interfere with their studies.”

Under federal law, workers under 18 years of age may not operate or clean meat-processing equipment such as power-driven meat grinders and meat saws. Federal regulations prohibit the employment of minors to operate bakery machines such as dough mixers and dough sheeters. Additionally, minors may not drive on a public road or operate scrap balers unless they meet certain requirements or perform work under limited circumstances.

The regulations also detail hours that minors under 16 years of age may work. According to the law, 14- and 15- year-olds may work during non-school hours, but no later than 7:00 p. m. (9:00 p.m. from June 1 until Labor Day). In addition, they may not work more than three hours on school days, eight hours on nonschool days or 40 hours during nonschool weeks.

Information about the Michigan supermarket initiative and the youth employment provisions are available on the Internet at http://youthrules.dol.gov. For additional information about the FLSA provisions, call the Department of Labor’s toll-free help line at 1-866-4USWAGE or visit www.wagehour.dol.gov.

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U.S. Department of Labor releases are accessible on the Internet at www.dol.gov. The information in this news release will be made available in alternate format (large print, Braille, audio tape or disc) from the COAST office upon request. Please specify which news release when placing your request at (202) 693-7828 or TTY (202) 693-7755. The Labor Department is committed to providing America’s employers and employees with easy access to understandable information on how to comply with its laws and regulations. For more information, please visit www.dol.gov/compliance.