A Kentucky company violated child labor laws. We can do better than that. Courier Journal
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Karen M. Garnett-Civils
Whether you are a parent, a teacher, or a member of the community, we all want to make sure that the children in our neighborhoods are safe, healthy and have access to the education they deserve. The child labor protections established in 1938 by the Fair Labor Standards Act were designed to ensure just that — that children have safe, healthy jobs that do not stand in the way of their educational opportunities. At the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division, we are dedicated to making these protections a reality for the young people in our community.
Here in Kentucky, a recent U.S. Department of Labor investigation found Win.IT America Inc. violated child labor laws when the company employed two children, an 11-year-old and a 13-year-old, for months at its distribution center. The company employed one child to operate a forklift and tasked another to pick up orders in a warehouse. This type of work can place children in grave danger.