The Labor Department’s recent settlements reveal ongoing child labor violations in the meatpacking industry, prompting calls for reform.

This week, investigators found that a cleaning company called QSI had 54 kids working overnight shifts at 13 meatpacking plants across eight states. They were cleaning machines used for beef and chicken production from 2021 to 2024. This isn’t the first time cleaning contractors have been caught employing kids. QSI is facing a $400,000 penalty.
QSI disagrees with the Labor Department’s findings, saying they didn’t find any current juvenile workers. They also pointed out that they didn’t have to agree to ongoing monitoring like PSSI did a couple of years ago after they were caught employing kids and had to pay over $1.5 million.
Earlier this week, Perdue Farms also agreed to pay $4 million after kids were found working at one of their chicken plants in Virginia. JBS USA, which is based in Greeley, also agreed to pay $4 million and implement changes to prevent child labor at its facilities.
These announcements come just before President-elect Donald Trump takes office, but they follow a series of child labor investigations in the meatpacking industry. Debbie Berkowitz, a former OSHA official, believes these actions show the Biden administration’s commitment to tackling child labor in dangerous industries.
It’s illegal for anyone under 18 to work in hazardous jobs like meatpacking. Yet, since the PSSI investigation began in 2022, more cases keep popping up. Last year alone, the department found over 4,000 children working in violation of federal child labor laws.
The PSSI case started when a 13-year-old suffered a serious chemical burn while cleaning a JBS plant in Grand Island, Nebraska. This led to more investigations and calls for stricter hiring practices in the meatpacking industry. Major companies like JBS and Tyson Foods have pointed fingers at contractors, but they’re still responsible for ensuring safe hiring practices.
The Labor Department is determined to protect children from dangerous jobs. They have over 1,000 ongoing child labor investigations and are pushing for better hiring standards across the industry. This includes training managers to spot underage applicants and requiring subcontractors to follow the rules.
Companies are also expected to set up hotlines for reporting child labor concerns and keep accurate records of their employees. Anyone caught hiring kids in violation of labor laws should face consequences. It’s a serious issue that needs attention.