Penalty

Company That Had Kids Clean Meatpacking Plants Pays $1.5M Fine

Packers Sanitation Services employed at least 102 children to undertake dangerous sanitation work, according to the Department of Labor.

A major U.S. sanitation company paid a $1.5 million fine for illegally employing over 100 kids to undertake dangerous sanitation work in meatpacking factories, according to the Department of Labor. The move comes three months after the Department of Labor launched an investigation into the company—Packers Sanitation Services—for employing at least 102 children, some as young as 13, to clean industrial equipment in meat-packing plants across the U.S. during overnight shifts. Multiple kids sustained injuries from this work, including at least two who suffered caustic chemical burns. The company told The Washington Post they have since conducted audits and hired a third-party law firm to improve their employment practices.