by Bronson Winslow
The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) obtained a federal court order to restrict an Alabama-based automotive parts manufacturer for Kia and Hyundai from employing children, many as young as 13, according to a recent DOL press release.
The U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Alabama ruled in a September consent judgment that the company, SL Alabama LLC, a subsidiary of South Korean SL Corporation, violated the Fair Labor Standards Act and engaged in “oppressive” labor practices, the release stated. The ruling follows an investigation by the Wage and Hour Division, and will effectively block SL Alabama LLC from shipping any products within 30 days of violations.
SL Alabama LLC previously admitted in a statement that children worked in its facility, but claimed they were hired by an unidentified recruitment firm, according to Reuters. The consent judgment follows an initial filing by the DOL in May that alleges SL Alabama LLC “repeatedly violated” child labor laws by using “minors under the age of 16” as “oppressive child labor,” according to the filing.
“Our investigation found SL Alabama engaged in oppressive child labor by employing young workers under the minimum age of 14, and by employing minors under 16 in a manufacturing occupation. Employers are responsible for knowing who is working in their facilities, ensuring that those individuals are of legal working age, and that their employment complies with all federal, state and local labor laws,” Birmingham, Alabama, Wage and Hour Division District Director Kenneth Stripling said, according to the release.
The @USDOL accused SL Alabama LLC, a U.S. supplier for @Hyundai, and the second Alabama-based Hyundai supplier in as many months to be accused of violating child labor practices.#automotive#manufacturing #labor #childlaborhttps://t.co/DmcIX6wdjh
— IndustryWeek (@IndustryWeek) August 24, 2022
The consent judgment outlined requirements for SL Alabama LLC while also applying a civil money penalty of $30,076, the release stated. The company will now offer training material to all employees and subcontractors while imposing sanctions on those found responsible for child labor violations.
SL Alabama LLC is the second company in Alabama that has been caught using child labor. For several years, SMART Alabama LLC used child labor in its factories, Reuters reported.
Kia and Hyundai did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.
SL Alabama LLC could not be reached for comment.
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Bronson Winslow is a reporter at Daily Caller News Foundation.
Photo “Kia Motors” by Zarateman. CC0 1.0.
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