Salt Lake Police examine a scene in Salt Lake Metropolis on Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022. The U.S. Division of Labor assessed almost $17,000 in penalties to Commonplace Restaurant Provide, in Salt Lake Metropolis, in violation of kid labor legal guidelines, the division introduced Tuesday. Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret Information
Amid elevated enforcement efforts within the area, the U.S. Division of Labor assessed almost $17,000 in penalties to a Salt Lake Metropolis-based restaurant provide firm related to the polygamous Kingston sect that was in violation of kid labor legal guidelines, the division introduced Tuesday.
A federal investigation discovered Specialty Consulting Providers LLC — working as Commonplace Restaurant Provide — allowed 22 workers between the ages of 14 and 15 to work as many as 46 hours per workweek and to start work after midnight, each of that are unlawful practices beneath baby labor legal guidelines, particularly the Honest Labor Requirements Act.
The investigation additionally discovered that Commonplace Restaurant Provide "didn't maintain correct time information together with the date of delivery for one minor-aged worker," one other violation of the Honest Labor Requirements Act's recordkeeping provision.
In response to the investigation, the division assessed $16,595 in penalties "to resolve the kid labor violations."
A 12 months in the past, the division's Southwest Area launched a reminder to Salt Lake Metropolis-area employers reiterating the significance of complying with federal baby labor legal guidelines and mentioned that it could be "stepping up its efforts to determine baby labor violations within the Salt Lake Metropolis space."
"We urge employers within the area to achieve a full understanding of kid labor rules and guarantee they're abiding by the legislation, or they need to be ready to face pricey penalties," Kevin Hunt, Wage and Hour Division district director in Salt Lake Metropolis, mentioned in an announcement.
On Wednesday, the labor division introduced that Utah soda and dessert store Sodalicious violated federal baby labor legal guidelines at its Midvale, Orem, Provo and South Jordan places.
"The division decided that Sodalicious allowed 14 and 15-year-old workers to work previous 7 p.m. when faculty was in session, after 9 p.m. throughout summer time months and greater than 3 hours on a college day at 4 of its Utah places," the division mentioned in a launch.
"Employers like Sodalicious are legally chargeable for figuring out and complying with federal baby labor legal guidelines and ensuring their employment practices don't jeopardize the security of younger staff or intervene with their schooling," Betty Campbell, Wage and Hour southwest regional administrator, mentioned in an announcement.
In response to the Sodalicious places violating the honest labor act, the division assessed the corporate with $13,946 in penalties to resolve the infractions.
The newest investigations by the labor division come after it was revealed in December that 11 Crumbl Cookie places, together with 4 in Utah (Bountiful, Centerville, Layton and Ogden places), have been in violation of kid labor legal guidelines.
"Minors as younger as 14 and 15 years outdated not solely labored past permitted hours however greater than half of them have been employed in violation of the Honest Labor Requirements Act by being allowed to work lengthy shifts typically exceeding eight hours," Hunt mentioned.
Based in 1980, Specialty Consulting Providers LLC has 9 places all through Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico and Utah.
The firm’s Higher Enterprise Bureau profile lists Ellery Kingston because the president of Commonplace Restaurant Provide. A 2003 weblog put up, written by Ellery Kingston, on the Davis County Cooperative Society, a northern Utah polygamous sect also known as "the Kingstons" by outsiders, additionally mentions the corporate.
In September, 10 plaintiffs, largely ladies, filed a 109-page lawsuit in opposition to 24 recognized and 20 unidentified members of "the Order" — one other moniker of the Kingston polygamous sect — alleging rampant abuse and exploitation.
The federal division's Wage and Hour Division in 2022 discovered greater than 3,800 minors employed in violation of kid labor legal guidelines within the U.S. — a rise of 37% over the earlier 12 months, based on the info.
"Our investigators proceed to see a rise in baby labor violations in a number of industries. We are going to take vigorous motion every time we uncover younger staff' security and well-being are being jeopardized by employers who fail to comply with the legislation," Hunt added.
Commonplace Restaurant Provide did not reply to requests for remark from KSL.com.