News Release

KIELER, WIS. — One of the nation’s largest food safety sanitation service providers has paid $1.5 million in civil money penalties after the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division found the company employed at least 102 children. The children are from 13 to 17 years of age working in hazardous occupations and working overnight shifts at 13 meat processing facilities in eight states.

Maple Leaf Farms, Leesburg, is one of the plants where the violations were documented. According to an investigation, Packers Sanitation Services, Kieler, Wis., was employing two children at Maple Leaf Farms and was fined $30,276.

The employer’s payment of civil money penalties is the result of the division’s investigation of PSSI. The division found that children were working with hazardous chemicals and cleaning meat processing equipment, including back saws, brisket saws and head splitters. Investigators learned at least three minors suffered injuries while working for PSSI.

Under the Fair Labor Standards Act, the department assessed PSSI $15,138 for each minor-aged employee who was employed in violation of the law. The amount is the maximum civil money penalty allowed by federal law.

The division began an investigation in August 2022. On Nov. 9, 2022, the solicitor’s office filed a complaint in the U.S. District Court of Nebraska based on evidence that the company, which provides cleaning services under contract to some of the nation’s largest meat and poultry producers, had employed at least 31 children, from 13 to 17 years of age, in hazardous occupations to clean dangerous powered equipment during overnight shifts at JBS USA plants in Grand Island, Neb., and Worthington, Minn., and Turkey Valley Farms in Marshall, Minn.

U.S. District Court Judge John M. Gerrard responded by issuing a temporary restraining order Nov. 10, 2022, forbidding the company and its employees from committing child labor violations.

On Dec. 6, 2022, the U.S. District Court of Nebraska entered a consent order and judgment, in which the employer agreed to comply with the FLSA’s child labor provisions in all of its operations nationwide, and to take significant steps to ensure future compliance with the law, including employing an outside compliance specialist.

On Feb. 16, PSSI paid $1.5 million in penalties.

“The child labor violations in this case were systemic and reached across eight states, and clearly indicate a corporatewide failure by PSSI at all levels,” explained Jessica Looman, principal deputy administrator of the wage and hour division.

“These children should never have been employed in meat packing plants. This can only happen when employers don’t take responsibility to prevent child labor violations from occurring in the first place.”

“Our investigation found PSSI’s systems flagged some young workers as minors, but the company ignored the flags. When the wage and hour division arrived with warrants, the adults who had recruited, hired and supervised these children tried to derail our efforts to investigate their employment practices,” said Michael Lazzeri, wage and hour regional administrator of Chicago.

Maple Leaf Farms Response

Below is a statement sent from Maple Leaf Farms:

“Maple Leaf Farms has been closely monitoring the Department of Labor investigation and PSSI’s response to ensure corrective action has been taken to address any potential gaps in their hiring practices and that they are adhering to their own zero-tolerance policy for underage employment.

“Maple Leaf Farms complies with all aspects of the Fair Labor Standards Act and other safety and labor regulations, and we expect all of our business partners to as well.

“To clarify, the fine was not levied against Maple Leaf Farms. The civil penalty was issued against PSSI, a company that provides contract sanitation services for food processors throughout the country.”

Shown is a breakdown of violations against Packers Sanitation Services, the locations, the number of children involved and the resulting fines.