WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — A company that provides food safety sanitation services around the nation has paid $1.5 million in penalties, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.
Investigators say that Packers Sanitation Services Inc. of Wisconsin employed at least 102 children, ages 13 to 17, in hazardous occupations and had them work overnight shifts at 13 meat processing facilities in eight states. DOL says 26 of the minors worked at the Cargill Inc. plant in Dodge City.
Under the Fair Labor Standards Act, DOL assessed PSSI $15,138 for each child who was employed in violation of the law. The amount is the maximum civil money penalty allowed by federal law.
DOL’s Wage and Hour Division began investigating PSSI in August.
“Our investigation found Packers Sanitation Services’ systems flagged some young workers as minors, but the company ignored the flags,” Michael Lazzeri, Wage and Hour regional administrator, said in a news release. “When the Wage and Hour Division arrived with warrants, the adults – who had recruited, hired and supervised these children – tried to derail our efforts to investigate their employment practices.”
Packers Sanitation Services Inc. employed minors to use caustic chemicals to clean razor-sharp saws, other high-risk equipment at 13 meat processing facilities in 8 states”
U.S. Department of Labor
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