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The
hazardous work at the Accomac facility included deboning chicken
using equipment such as electric knives, the department said in
a news release. The conditions violated the Fair Labor Standards
Act.
“Perdue Farms has substantial influence in the poultry
processing industry,” Solicitor of Labor Seema Nanda said in a
statement. “By entering into this agreement, Perdue Farms is
taking meaningful action to root out child labor not only at its
facilities but to recognize its corporate responsibility to
combat child labor more broadly.”
Perdue Farms will pay restitution to the children, organizations
advocating for child labor victims and to support prevention
efforts, the department said. The company also will pay a
$150,000 fine.
Perdue contracted with temporary staffing agency Staff
Management Solutions LLC and SMX LLC. The department said the
company and agency jointly employed children in hazardous
occupations at the Accomac facility, located on the Eastern
Shore.
The agency agreed to pay a $125,000 civil penalty, the
department said.
In a statement, Perdue said it fully cooperated with the
investigation, which “did not identify any current underage
workers.”
Perdue said it strongly disagreed with the Labor Department's
findings and that "there are no admissions in the agreement to
the contrary.”
“Perdue recognized that a prolonged dispute with the Department
of Labor did nothing to address the child labor crisis,” the
company said.
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