A Kroger store in Mississippi broke child labor laws by letting minors operate hazardous machinery, DOL says

• A Kroger store in Mississippi let minors operate hazardous machinery and work too long, DOL said.
• The store was fined almost $14,000 for breaking child labor laws, it said.

A Kroger store in Mississippi has been fined almost $14,000 for breaking child labor laws by letting minors operate hazardous machinery and exceeding limits on working hours, the Department of Labor said.

The store in Southaven allowed three workers aged 16 and 17 to load a trash compactor "with the keys in the machine to allow operation," the DOL said on Tuesday.

Minors are able to work in most retail stores from the age of 14. However, child labor regulations set by the Fair Labor Standards Act prohibit those under the age of 18 from loading or operating trash compactors.

The store also let a 15-year-old employee break a law that limits the number of hours they can work during term time at 3 hours a day and 18 hours a week.

The DOL said that the store should pay a $13,673 civil penalty for the child labor violations.

In addition, three stores operated by Fred Meyer, a Portland-based subsidiary of Kroger, allowed minor-aged workers to regularly load power-driven box balers, violating child labor laws for hazardous work, the DOL said in a separate announcement on Tuesday.

Fred Meyer should pay $55,440 in penalties for breaches, the department said.

Kroger and Fred Meyer did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment outside normal working hours.

The DOL said that in the 2021 financial year it had identified more than 2,800 minor-aged workers employed in violation.

"Child labor laws are intended to ensure young workers obtain valuable work experience safely without interfering with their safety and education," said Audrey Hall of the DOL in Jackson, Mississippi. "Employers who hire minors must know the regulations that govern this practice."