The Department of Labor (DOL) has said that SL Alabama LLC, a subsidiary of SL Corp. of South Korea, employed underage workers at its factory in Alexander City, Alabama, according to filings filed Monday with the US District Court for the Middle District of Alabama,
Reuters reported.
Since November, SL Alabama has “repeatedly violated” labor laws by employing “oppressive child labor” and “children under the age of 16,” the DOL said in a six-page complaint.
In a statement to Reuters, SL Alabama admitted that children worked at the factory, which makes headlights, taillights and other parts for companies including Hyundai and its Kia subsidiary. SL said the children were recruited by an unspecified external recruitment agency.
The disclosure comes a month after Reuters reported the use of child labor at another Alabama auto parts plant operated by a subsidiary of Hyundai SMART Alabama LLC. The Alabama Department of Labor then said it would work with federal authorities to investigate labor practices at the plant.
The discovery of child labor at a second Hyundai dealership is a sign that labor practices in the US automaker’s supply chain are under intense scrutiny. In an emailed statement late Monday, Hyundai said it “will not tolerate illegal labor practices at any Hyundai organization.”
“We have policies and procedures that require compliance with all local, state and federal laws,” it added.
Along with the complaint against SL Alabama, a proposed settlement agreement between the state and the parts manufacturer was filed in court. Under the agreement, SL Alabama agrees not to employ any more children, to punish any executives who know how to use underage workers, and to sever all relationships with employers who provide child labor.
The proposed agreement was signed on August 18 by an attorney from SL Alabama and an attorney from the Department of Labor. It has not yet been signed by a judge.
The records do not contain information on the number of children who worked in SL Alabama or the type of work they did. It is not clear if the company or its contract workers face fines or other penalties, according to Reuters.
The DOL did not respond to requests for comment.
In a statement to Reuters, SL Alabama said “we have fully cooperated with the Department of Labor’s investigation and are in the process of finalizing our vetting system so that minors are no longer employed.”
Federal and Alabama law prohibits youth and children under the age of 16 from working in many industrial settings because they can be dangerous to children.
SL Alabama employs about 650 people at its Alabama plant, according to its website. The parent company of SL Corp. it also operates a plant in Tennessee and a research center in Michigan.
Earlier Reuters reports have shown how some children, often immigrants, are recruited for factory jobs in Alabama through recruitment agencies.
While labor unions across the country are helping to fill industrial jobs, they have been criticized by labor advocates for allowing employers to delegate the responsibility of vetting workers and their fitness to work, Reuters reported.
