Government Files Lawsuit Against Hyundai for Alleged Child Labor Practices

The U.S. Department of Labor has filed a lawsuit against Hyundai for employing child labor in an assembly line factory in Alabama, as reported by the Daily Mail on Monday.

An investigation found that a 13-year-old was working between 50 and 60 hours a week operating machines on the assembly line that produced body parts for cars.

The lawsuit names Hyundai, an auto parts plant, and a labor recruiter as defendants, seeking to compel the companies to relinquish any profits linked to child labor practices.

In response, Hyundai stated that it had fully cooperated with the Labor Department and should not be held responsible for the actions of its suppliers.

SMART Alabama, identified as a majority-owned unit by Hyundai, supplies parts for the automaker’s popular vehicles manufactured in Montgomery, its primary U.S. assembly plant.

Hyundai stated that it relies on temporary agencies to provide workers for these positions and expects the agencies to comply with labor laws in recruiting and hiring workers.

Many underage workers at the factory were hired through recruitment agencies, according to current and former SMART employees and local labor recruiters.

While staffing firms play a role in filling industrial positions nationwide, they have faced criticism for enabling large companies to shift responsibility for verifying employee eligibility.

Jessica Looman, Wage and Hour Division Administrator, said in a statement to CNN that “a 13-year-old working on an assembly line in the United States of America shocks the conscience. As we work to stop illegal child labor where we find it, we also continue to ensure that all employers are held accountable for violating the law.”