Earlier this year when an investigation by the New York Times revealed children, some younger than 15, were working illegally in overnight shifts at food processing giant Hearthside Food Solutions in Grand Rapids, the state of Michigan was unaware.
Most of these children were undocumented immigrants, but even if they were native-born school kids in nearby Kentwood Public Schools, the state would have been unaware. Even if Hearthside's labor contractor pulled the appropriate work permits to employ those children, the state would have been unaware.
The state of Michigan, like many states in the U.S., has no infrastructure in place to track minor children who are working nor where they work nor whether they are working to the labor standards required by the state.
"Michigan and most states have a bifurcated system," said Sean Egan, the deputy director of labor for the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity. "Minors have to have a work permit and that's handled by the Michigan Department of Education. The school district where the minor lives has to sign the work permit, but those don't go anywhere. They aren't sent to the education department or us. We simply don't know where young people are employed until there is a complaint. We have the authority to investigate but we don't have the staff to show up everywhere. So unless someone files a complaint … ."
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