Poultry Businesses Owe Record Fines, Profits From Child Labor

A California-based poultry processing company is on the hook for $4.8 million in back wages and damages to nearly 500 workers, plus $1 million in profits from illegal child labor, the US Labor Department announced Thursday.

The April 30 consent judgment against Fu Qian Chen Lu, Bruce Shu Hua Lok, and other operators of eight poultry processing and distributing businesses is the latest instance of a company agreeing to disgorgement to resolve child labor violations with the agency, which is uncommon for cases filed under the Fair Labor Standards Act.

The settlement also requires the businesses to provide training on ...