US Department of Labour Files Lawsuit Against Hyundai for Child Labour Violations in Alabama
The US Department of Labor has taken legal action against Hyundai Motor Co., an auto parts company, and a labor recruiter for allegedly employing child labor at a facility in Alabama. The complaint, filed in U.S. District Court in Montgomery, Alabama, seeks to hold the companies accountable for using underage workers and demands the return of any profits gained from their illegal actions.
In a shocking revelation, it was reported that a Hyundai subsidiary and other parts suppliers in Alabama hired children as young as 12 years old. The defendants named in the complaint are Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama LLC, SMART Alabama LLC, and Best Practice Service LLC. The Labor Department found that a 13-year-old child was working up to 60 hours per week at a SMART assembly line, producing sheet metal parts for vehicles like the Hyundai Santa Fe, Tucson, and Santa Cruz.
Despite attempts to shift blame to suppliers and staffing agencies, the Department of Labor emphasized that companies cannot evade responsibility for child labor violations. Solicitor of Labor Seema Nanda stated, “Companies cannot avoid liability by blaming suppliers or staffing companies for child labor violations when they are also employers.”
This case sheds light on the ongoing concerns surrounding child labor practices in supply chains of major corporations, particularly in areas with significant industrial operations. Hyundai Motor Co. and the other defendants involved have yet to respond to the allegations made by the Labor Department.
This lawsuit underscores the importance of strict adherence to labor laws and the ethical responsibility of multinational companies to ensure safe and lawful working conditions throughout their supply chains. The need for transparency and accountability in the workforce is crucial to prevent such violations from occurring in the future.
(With inputs from Reuters)