Minnesota children illegally hired to work overnight at meat processing plant: Lawsuit

(FOX 9) – The Minnesota Division of Labor and Business (DLI) alleges an investigation uncovered Tony Downs Meals Firm employed youngsters to work hazardous jobs at a meat processing facility in southern Minnesota.

The lawsuit filed in courtroom on Wednesday alleges investigators discovered at the least 8 minors who’re at the moment working on the meat processing facility in Madelina, a metropolis 22 miles southwest of Mankato. The kids ranged in age from 14 to 17 years previous.

Along with the present minor workers, the DLI recognized a number of little one labor violations involving workers who are actually over 18 years previous or now not work for the corporate however have been employed between January 2021-23, the timeframe wherein the DLI is focusing its investigation.

The DLI filed a request for an injunction and momentary restraining order towards Tony Downs Meals whereas they proceed to research the corporate for allegedly using youngsters to work in a single day shifts at their meat processing plant, the lawsuit alleges.  

“DLI’s investigation signifies that Tony Downs’ present employment of minor youngsters is just not an remoted prevalence,” the lawsuit alleges.

The investigation

The DLI started investigating Tony Downs Meals after receiving a grievance youngsters have been employed to work in a single day shifts in hazardous situations together with working massive machines corresponding to meat grinders, ovens, and forklifts, the lawsuit says. 

In the course of the investigation, DLI spoke with the staff, documented working situations, and requested information from the corporate, together with damage studies. The DLI mentioned youngsters have been injured whereas working on the plant, together with one minor who was injured at the least thrice, in response to the lawsuit. 

As a part of the investigation, the DLI went to the plant throughout an in a single day shift in January 2023 and mentioned they noticed what seemed to be a number of young-looking workers working round massive equipment and dealing within the colder a part of the power the place meat is frozen utilizing chemical compounds like dioxide and ammonia.

DLI investigators mentioned the kids have been working below assumed names and have been “not native English audio system,” the lawsuit reads.

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As a part of the investigation, DLI contacted faculty districts within the space for added data on the minors. They spoke with faculty workers to find out in the event that they have been involved about college students’ doable efficiency points, lacking faculty, and falling asleep in school from working in a single day shifts. The varsity workers agreed that they had issues, the lawsuit states. 

“Minnesota’s little one labor requirements are essential to foster youngsters’s social and academic improvement. Permitting youngsters to work in a single day shifts and into the early morning hours hinders a pupil’s capability to focus and excel in class. Youngsters working in a single day are extra in danger for skipping class and dropping out of college solely,” the lawsuit learn. 

What the legislation says

The Minnesota Youngster Labor Requirements Act prohibits employers from using minors in hazardous occupations. It additionally restricts minors below 16 years previous from working after 9 p.m., greater than eight hours a day, or greater than 40 hours in every week, the DLI mentioned in a press launch. 

The DLI requested the courtroom to impose an injunction and momentary restraining order towards Tony Downs Meals from using youngsters and violating the Youngster Labor Requirements Acts. 

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The DLI additionally requested the corporate take needed steps to repair any present violations and forestall it from taking place additional by reviewing and revising insurance policies and procedures, coaching its workers, and monitoring its compliance with the Youngster Labor Requirements Act. 

“When little one labor legal guidelines are violated, the most effective pursuits of our youngsters are being tossed to the wayside to advance the pursuits of an employer,” mentioned DLI Commissioner Nicole Blissenbach in a press release. “The results of kid labor violations are substantial, from straight endangering security and well being to lifelong penalties associated to impaired schooling entry.”

FOX 9 reached out to Downs Meals Group for remark.