Wage and Hour Division (WHD)

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Hartford, Conn. -- PriceRite Supermarkets, a Wethersfield, Conn.-based supermarket chain, has been assessed $159,600 in civil money penalties by the U.S. Labor Department for alleged child labor violations at 12 of its supermarkets in Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts and Pennsylvania.

According to Dianne Miller, Hartford District Director of the department's Wage and Hour Division, an investigation by her office found a total of 65 minors employed in violation of Federal child labor restrictions at PriceRite supermarkets in Bridgeport, Torrington, Wethersfield and Windsor, Conn.; Cranston, Providence and Woonsocket, R.I.; New Bedford, Seekonk, Springfield and West Springfield, Mass.; and Allentown, Pa.

Fifty-one of the young workers operated, loaded or unloaded power-driven cardboard balers, while 10 of them also operated power-driven pallet jacks. Workers under age 18 are prohibited from such activities under the child labor provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act.

In addition, 14 minors under the age of 16 were found to have been employed for excess hours. The FLSA restricts the hours that 14 and 15-year-olds can work to no more than 3 hours per day on a school day and 18 hours a week during a school week and no more than 8 hours a day on a nonschool day and no more than 40 hours a week in nonschool weeks. Also, 14- and 15-year olds may not work before 7:00 am and not later than 7:00 pm, except from June 1 through Labor Day, when the evening hour is extended to 9:00 pm.

PriceRite is a subsidiary of Wakefern Food Corporation of Elizabeth, New Jersey, which also owns ShopRite Supermarkets, Inc. Child labor violations were also found at ShopRite stores in Pennsylvania, New York and Connecticut during investigations conducted between 1990 and 1994.

U.S. Labor Secretary Elaine L. Chao recently launched "YouthRules!", an initiative to increase public awareness of Federal and State rules concerning young workers and promote positive and safe work experiences that help prepare young workers to enter the 21st Century workforce.

The YouthRules! web page, (www.youthrules.dol.gov), is a gateway providing quick access to information about Federal and State labor laws that apply to young workers. The web page includes information designed to educate teens, parents, educators and employers about the hours youth can work, the jobs youth can do, and how to prevent workplace injuries.

Additional information about Federal wage laws is available by calling the Labor Department's toll-free help line at 1-866-4USWAGE (1-866-487-9243) or online at www.dol.gov.

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