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Archived News Release--Caution:
information may be out of date.
For more information call: (202) 219-8211
Hy-Vee Stores, Inc., an Iowa-based grocery chain, was assessed a
$172,800 civil money penalty for child labor violations that occurred at three
Omaha, Nebraska, stores. Two hundred and thirty-nine (239) 14- and 15-year-old
minors were found employed in violation of the child labor provisions of the
Fair Labor Standards Act.
The Omaha stores employed minors as late as 8:45 p.m. on school nights
and often worked the youths more than 5 hours on school days. The teenagers
consistently worked over 20 hours during school weeks and more than 13 hours on
non-school days.
"We cannot allow our young workers to be employed in situations that
have the potential of interfering with their schooling," said Secretary of
Labor Alexis M. Herman. "Teenagers cannot be allowed to such work late hours or
long days that their educational pursuits are jeopardized."
Hy-Vee Stores, Inc., a Iowa corporation with locations in seven states,
has taken steps to assure future child labor compliance in all its stores and
has agreed to a compliance partnership with the Labor Department to stem future
child labor violations within the business. Hy-Vee's corporate headquarters has
distributed company-wide directives, which establish its commitment to
compliance and inform managers of the federal child labor requirements. The
firm's internal audit department has, in turn, established a compliance
monitoring system at the retail level.
The company has filed an exception to the assessment of the civil money
penalty and asked for a hearing before a Department of Labor administrative law
judge.
Under federal child labor laws, the minimum age of employment is 14,
except in agriculture. Minors 14 and 15 years of age may not work more than a
certain number of hours in a day or week (3 hours on a school day or 18 hours
during a school week, and 8 hours on a non-school day or 40 hours a week in a
non-school week). In addition, minors may not work before 7 a.m. or after 7
p.m., except in the summer.
Archived News Release--Caution:
information may be out of date.
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