14- y.o. kids found working at TN John Deere supplier factory

[Tanuki]

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/child-labor-tennessee-kids-young-14-lawn-mower-tuff-torq-john-deere-rcna144938

"Immigrant children as young as 14 were found working illegally amid dangerous heavy equipment at a Tennessee firm that makes parts for lawn mowers sold by John Deere and other companies, according to Labor Department officials.

The company, Tuff Torq, was fined nearly $300,000 for hiring 10 children. As part of a consent agreement with the federal government, the company is also required to set aside $1.5 million to help the children who were illegally employed. Ryan Pott, general counsel for Tuff Torq’s majority owner, the Japanese firm Yanmar, acknowledged the violations to NBC News.

“The department will not tolerate companies profiting on the backs of children employed unlawfully in dangerous occupations,” said Seema Nanda, the department’s chief legal officer, whose office obtained the consent judgment against Tuff Torq. “Tuff Torq has agreed to disgorge profits, which will go to the benefit of the children. This sends a clear message: putting children in harm’s way in the workplace is not only illegal, but also comes with significant financial consequences.”....(more)

[limbicnuminousity]

1. Sort of.

"This sends a clear message: putting children in harm’s way in the workplace is not only illegal, but also comes with significant financial consequences.”....(more)

And so Republican legislatures across the country are eliminating child labor laws. Thank God little Timmy can soon lose a limb legally at Tyson (or John Deere or McDonalds or Dominos or...).

[cstanleytech]

2. I wonder why they withheld what they were doing exactly.

[live love laugh]

3. $300k ... not enough to deter a repeat offense

[Volaris]

7. Agreed. If the state puts a person in jail, at a minimum, it means you dont get paid for time served.

For un-jailable corporate entities, the criminal fine should be equal to the 'time served' in terms of profit, only retroactively.

Meaning, if a company is found guilty of a crime for which you or I would get 24 months, the minimum fine applied should not be less than whatever that company posted as profit for the last 2 years.

Laws are only a deterrent when the consequences of breaking them actually HURT.

[czarjak]

4. Union shop?

[ornotna]

5. Probably not

Being that it’s Tennessee.

[Emile]

6. You're kidding, right?

[czarjak]

8. Seriously.