Poultry Processors Agree to One of the Largest Wage Violation Settlements in History

The Department of Labor yesterday announced one of the largest wage violation settlements ever reached for U.S. poultry workers. A federal court ordered a network of California poultry processors and distributors to pay $4.8 million in back wages and damages to 476 workers. They must also pay $221,919 in penalties. Under the terms of the settlement, the employers must also forfeit $1 million in profits earned from the sale of hot goods tainted by oppressive child labor and pay penalties of $171,919 for child labor violations. The companies were under a temporary restraining order and an injunction that prevented them from shipping hot goods and required them to lose all profits related to tainted sales.