AUBURN, Neb.-
An Auburn grocer has been fined $40,672 for violating child labor laws when he allegedly allowed employees to work with equipment they weren’t old enough to legally operate, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division said Monday.
The eight minors worked for Glenn’s Corner Market in Auburn.
The grocer has challenged the fine and requested a hearing to resolve the matter, according to a Labor Department news release. The owner, Doug Glenn, did not immediately return a phone message seeking comment.
An investigation revealed that the eight minors were working in violation of the youth employment provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act, the Labor Department said.
The alleged violations occurred between Oct. 2004 and Oct. 2006, said Rich Kulczewski, regional public affairs director for the department.
The employees, ages 15 and 17, routinely cleaned and sometimes operated a power-driven meat slicer, saw and grinder, the department said.
Two of the 15-year-olds regularly cleaned a machine prohibited by occupational standards and worked hours and at times prohibited by department regulations.
Two of the minors also were found to have regularly loaded a power-driven paper baler.
Glenn’s Corner Market officials said they weren’t aware that federal youth employment restrictions applied to the market, the Labor Department said. The store agreed to monitor future compliance, the department said.
—————
On the Net:
U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division:
