U.S. Department of Labor cracks down on child labor violations

The Department of Labor (DOL) is putting U.S. companies on notice: child labor violations do happen here, and it won’t be tolerated. Compliance with federal child labor laws must be upheld, or companies should be prepared to pay the price and face strict oversight.   

The DOL is making an example out of American poultry production company Mar-Jac Poultry, whose chicken plants repeatedly put its workers’ safety at risk, multiple DOL investigations found. Many of the company’s workers are minors. 

The Gainesville, Georgia-based poultry processing company, which sells its products to fast-food chains and wholesale distributors, has facilities in Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi. The company has been under the DOL’s watchful eye for good reason.