STATE SETTLES CHILD LABOR VIOLATIONS WITH OLYMPIA SPORTS

May 27, 2004

MAY 27, 2004

GWENDOLYN D. THOMAS, ASSISTANT ATTORNEY GENERAL, 207-626-8875

WILLIAM PEABODY, DIRECTOR, BUREAU OF LABOR STANDARDS, 207-626-6400

 

            The State of Maine has settled with Olympia Sports Center, Inc. regarding child labor violations at twelve of Olympia’s Maine stores.  Olympia agreed to pay a civil penalty of $186,600.  Child labor laws are enforced at the administrative level by the Bureau of Labor Standards within the Department of Labor, and at the court level by the Attorney General’s Office.  Both agencies worked on this case for the State.

The violations involved Olympia Sports employees who worked longer than permitted by law, either on an hourly or weekly basis.  An audit of Olympia’s records covering the period from February 28, 1999, to February 28, 2001, showed 138 violations of statutory morning or evening hour restrictions; 589 violations of statutory daily hour restrictions; 113 violations of statutory weekly hour restrictions; and 12 violations of statutory consecutive day restrictions.

            Assistant Attorney General Gwendolyn D. Thomas said, “Employers must be aware of the laws governing the employment of minors.  Now that Olympia has put into place a comprehensive tracking program that has successfully prevented further child labor violations from occurring, it is a model for other employers in the State.  Other employers can learn from Olympia’s experience.”

            William A. Peabody, the Bureau Director, stated, “We’re pleased that Olympia Sports through their cooperation has shown that they appreciate our concerns about child labor violations. The work hour restrictions are an important protection for our working youth and the Department believes employers must take care to understand and comply with them.”

Peabody added, “The Department of Labor has a variety of materials to help employers ensure that they are in compliance with the law and to assist them in providing a safe and healthy work environment for their working youth. They can obtain assistance by calling us at 624-6400 or accessing the Department web site (http://www.state.me.us/labor/).”

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