Cleaning Company Fined Over Child Labor Violations

Sanitation company Qvest LLC faces hefty fines for employing 11 children at a meat processing plant, sparking concerns about child labor law violations in the industry.

At a Glance

Qvest LLC will pay nearly $172,000 in civil penalties for employing minors at Seaboard Triumph Foods LLC.
11 minors used corrosive cleaners on equipment from September 2019 to September 2023.
Qvest is being required to hire third-party consultants for child labor law compliance.
It’s the second child labor investigation at Seaboard Triumph Foods this year.
The Labor Department conducted 736 child labor investigations in 2024, resulting in over $15 million in penalties.

Qvest LLC Fined for Child Labor Violations

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has taken action against Qvest LLC, a sanitation contractor, for employing minors at Seaboard Triumph Foods LLC in Sioux City. The company must pay nearly $172,000 in civil money penalties as per a consent order and judgment by the U.S. District Court of the Northern District of Iowa. The DOL’s investigation revealed that Qvest employed 11 minors to use corrosive cleaners on various equipment at the facility from September 2019 to September 2023.

As part of the judgment, Qvest is required to hire a third-party consultant to ensure compliance with child labor laws and establish a toll-free number for reporting child labor issues. The company must also maintain accurate records of employees, including birth dates and work tasks, to prevent future violations.

Qvest LLC must pay $171,919 in child labor fines, hire a third party to review and update policies, and establish a reporting process for illegal child labor. https://t.co/YXKBoxdQsB #KeepTeenWorkersSafe #SafetyFirst pic.twitter.com/NzMygNZyug

— WHD_DOL (@WHD_DOL) December 2, 2024

Seaboard Triumph Foods Distances Itself from Violations

Seaboard Triumph Foods has clarified that they have no claims against them and did not employ the minors in question. The company stated that Qvest has not been at their facility for over a year. Currently, Seaboard Triumph Foods manages its sanitation needs through a partnership with the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW).

“This situation underscores the problems facing employers throughout the country: individuals, including minors, obtaining jobs through their use of fraudulent identification documents, which are sophisticated enough to fool even the federal government’s E-Verify system,” said Paul DeCamp, counsel for Seaboard Triumph Foods. “Businesses are victimized by this fraud.”

Despite Seaboard Triumph Foods’ stance, this marks the second child labor investigation involving a sanitation contractor at their facility this year. In May, Fayette Janitorial Service LLC was fined $650,000 for employing nine children at the same location. Some of these minors were previously employed by Qvest, suggesting a concerning pattern of child labor abuse in the industry.

Broader Implications for Child Labor in the U.S.

The Qvest LLC case is part of a larger trend of child labor violations in the United States. In 2024 alone, the Labor Department conducted 736 child labor investigations, resulting in over $15 million in penalties. These figures highlight the ongoing challenge of enforcing child labor laws and protecting minors from exploitation in various industries.

The meat processing industry, in particular, has come under scrutiny for its labor practices. The use of third-party contractors for sanitation services has raised questions about accountability and oversight in ensuring compliance with labor laws. As investigations continue, there is growing pressure on both contractors and the companies that hire them to implement stricter screening processes and maintain vigilant oversight to prevent the employment of minors in hazardous conditions.