U.S. Labor Department Sues Hyundai Over Child Labor Allegations

A sign stands outside the U.S. Department of Labor's headquarters, May 6, 2020, in Washington. The U.S. Department of Labor is asking a federal court to prevent Hyundai and two other Alabama co

The U.S. Department of Labor has taken legal action against Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama LLC, SMART Alabama LLC, and Best Practice Service, LLC, accusing them of engaging in the illegal employment of children. The complaint, filed on Thursday, stems from an investigation conducted by the department's Wage and Hour Division.

According to the findings of the investigation, a 13-year-old child was reportedly working between 50 and 60 hours per week operating machines on an assembly line responsible for shaping sheet metal into auto body parts. The lawsuit aims to put an end to the use of child labor within these companies and seeks to recover any profits associated with the alleged practice.