The U.S. Department of Labor has taken legal action against Hyundai Motor Co., SMART Alabama, an auto parts supplier, and Best Practice Service, a staffing agency, following the discovery of a 13-year-old girl employed on an assembly line in Alabama.
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According to CBS News, the lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Alabama, seeking to strip the companies of any profits gained from the illegal labor process. A federal investigation revealed that the minor worked extensive hours, ranging from 50 to 60 per week, at the SMART facilities in Luverne. Investigators said the girl, identified as “EC,” was operating machinery manufacturing auto body parts from sheet metal.
” ‘EC’ was employed in violation of 29nC.F.R. § 570.33(a), which prohibits the employment of individuals under the age of 16 in manufacturing occupations; 29 C.F.R. § 570.59, which prohibits individuals under the age of 18 from operating metal forming, punching, and shearing machines; and 29 C.F.R. § 570.119, which prohibits the employment of minors under the age of 14 under any circumstance,” the lawsuit documents stated.
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Hyundai has faced similar accusations of repeated child labor violations at its subsidiary between July 2021 and Feburary 2022. However, the company responded to the lawsuit, stating that it had conducted a thorough investigation and implemented extensive corrective measures, which were presented to the Labor Department. The company also stated that the legal theory pursued by the Labor Department was unprecedented and could unfairly implicate them for the actions of their suppliers.
Additionally, suppliers have cut ties with staffing agencies and have reviewed and enhanced workplace standards across their U.S. supplier network. The company is mandating independently verified audits to ensure compliance with labor laws among its Alabama suppliers.
