US clothing retailer Leggings Live has violated child labour requirements, according to an investigation by the US Department of Labor’s (DOL) Wage and Hour Division (WHD).
Operating as Legg-A-Licious, the retailer has paid $84,048 in back wages, liquidated damages and penalties to minor employees.
According to the WHD, the company violated overtime, minimum wage, record-keeping, child labour and anti-retaliation provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).
The investigators noted that the clothing retailer hired minors under the required minimum age of 14 years and terminated one employee after they reported the illegal employment of minors to WHD.
The company also asked these minors to load and unload merchandise from motor vehicles to stock its warehouse and made them work more hours than the law allows. The company also failed to pay one employee for hours worked during one work week.
Wage and Hour Division Salt Lake City, Utah, district director Kevin Hunt said: “Employment standards for minors ensure that they gain a positive work experience that does not interfere with their education, health, and well-being.
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By GlobalData“Child labour violations can be avoided when employers understand the rules. In addition, employees should not have to fear retaliation when they exercise their rights under the law.
“The Wage and Hour Division will continue to use all available resources to enforce worker protections.”
Leggings Live paid a total of $42,560 in back wages and liquidated damages to six employees, including $33,664 to the employee terminated in retaliation for reporting the child labour violations. The retailer also paid $41,488 in civil money penalties for violating FLSA child labour provisions.