Tyson Foods is again under investigation for child labor violations

Recently unsealed court documents contain damning evidence suggesting this Tyson Foods Inc., One of its subsidiaries or its contractors may have employed minors ages 11 and 13 at its food processing operations in Arkansas. And that these minors may be working night shifts and in dangerous conditions, such as a “killing ground.”

The United States Department of Labor is investigating Tyson for possible violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, particularly violations related to the employment of minors. The investigation was launched by the Houston District Office for the Wage and Hour Division after it received two separate anonymous tips over the summer that minors may have been working at the meat producer’s plants in Green Forest and Rogers.

The Labor Department investigation is another agency investigation into Tyson operations and possible child labor violations in recent months. Last year, the Labor Department opened an investigation into Tyson and other meat producers after discovering that a cleaning company had hired children to do shift work at various meat processing plants in Arkansas and across the country.

Investigators did not find that Tyson violated labor laws during this investigation.

In their most recent investigation, Labor Department investigators said they received an anonymous complaint in June from a source “who said she was a mother of middle school students and overheard children between the ages of 11 and 13 discussing her employment at the processing plant.” from Green Forest Tyson Foods.” on the night shift from about 11:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. or 8:00 a.m.”

“The source did not know the children’s names, but stated that the children talked about not knowing how to withdraw money from their paychecks at the ATM,” according to Sept. 6 court documents requesting search warrants became. “The complainant stated that the children at the facility were discussing cleaning equipment and floors.”

The search warrants include photos taken by Labor Department investigators who staked out the Green Forest facility in mid-July to confirm the anonymous tipster’s information. The photos appear to show teenagers entering or leaving the plant. “Based on her appearance, her clothing and her behavior, I consider her to be a minor,” said the Wage and Hour Division investigator.

Read the U.S. Department of Labor’s search warrant application here:

Search warrants were issued for facilities as well as Tyson’s headquarters. According to court documents, searches were conducted on September 11 and only electronic records were seized.

In a separate notice also sent in June, a teacher filed a complaint with the employment agency after a 14-year-old student provided details about working at a Tyson facility in Rogers over the summer.

Tyson has denied wrongdoing. Acting Labor Minister Julie Su requested in court that documents be sealed pending the execution of the search warrants.

Here is a copy of a search warrant for Tyson’s facilities: