A supplier to automaker Hyundai Motor Manufacturing and a staffing firm were fined by the Alabama Department of Labor over child labor violations, the department reported this week. The US Department of Labor also announced a federal court order to stop the manufacturing firm from employing youths ages 13 through 15.
SL Alabama manufactures headlights and mirrors for Hyundai. The staffing firm in the case is JK USA, according to the Alabama Department of Labor. Both firms were fined $17,800 each by the state.
An investigation found that SL Alabama had employed three minors — ages 13, 15 and 15 — in a prohibited manufacturing environment, according to the Alabama Department of Labor. All three were provided by JK USA. The minors were operating plastic bonding machines.
The department said two other 16-year-old employees were working without appropriate record-keeping on premises.
“This practice of providing and employing underage and undocumented workers is appalling,” said Alabama Department of Labor Secretary Fitzgerald Washington. “Employee safety, especially the safety of children, is a top priority. These businesses violated the law and put these children at risk, and it will not be tolerated in Alabama.”
Separately, the US Department of Labor assessed SL Alabama $30,676 in civil penalties following its investigation. The agency also announced other requirements for SL Alabama: It must provide training material to employees and subcontractors to ensure compliance with child labor standards, hire a third-party firm to provide child-labor compliance training for the next three years and terminate or suspend any mangers or subcontractors found responsible for child labor violations.
SL Alabama’s facility is in Alexander City, Alabama, and JK USA is based in Opelika, Alabama.