Federal Court Orders California Poultry Processors to Pay $4.8 Million in Back Wages and Damages

The U.S. Department of Labor has reached a historic settlement in a case involving wage violations and child labor in the poultry industry. The federal court in Los Angeles has ordered the owners and operators of a network of California poultry processors and distributors to pay $4.8 million in back wages and damages to 476 workers, as well as $221,919 in penalties.

The investigation revealed that children as young as 14 years old were illegally employed to use sharp knives to debone poultry, a violation of federal child labor regulations. Additionally, the employers denied overtime wages to workers and falsified payroll records to obstruct the probe.

The court’s judgment also requires the employers to give up $1 million in profits earned from the sale of goods tainted by oppressive child labor and pay assessed penalties for their child labor violations. The employers are also barred from future violations and must provide training on the Fair Labor Standards Act to all managers and supervisors.

This settlement is part of the Department of Labor’s ongoing efforts to combat child labor abuses and wage theft in the poultry and meat processing industries. It serves as a warning to downstream distributors and customers to ensure that the goods they handle are not made with oppressive child labor.

The Department encourages workers and employers to reach out to the Wage and Hour Division with any questions or concerns about back wages or labor violations. The division can be reached confidentially in over 200 languages at 1-866-4-US-WAGE (487-9243). Additionally, the department offers a free Timesheet App for Android and iOS to help ensure accurate hours worked and pay.