Orlando company pays $23,000 after letting a 13-year-old work a forklift
An Orlando landscape products company paid a $15,804 civil penalty for child labor violations and $7,522 in back pay after a U.S. Department of Labor investigation, the agency announced this week.
Labor said Monday that its Wage and Hour Division investigators found that Sunscape LLC used a 13-year-old and two 17-year-olds for operating a forklift. Also, the company worked the 13-year-old, who wasn’t old enough for non-agriculture jobs in the first place, before 7 a.m., more than eight hours a day and more than 40 hours a week.
“Child labor laws exist to strike a balance between providing meaningful work experience for young people and keeping them safe on the job,” Wage and Hour Division District Director Wildalí De Jesús said in a statement. “We urge employers to review their practices to ensure that minors are not exposed to hazardous occupations and that they are in compliance with child labor laws. Employers with questions are urged to contact the Wage and Hour Division for assistance.”
Sunscape paid the back pay to six employees or approximately $1,253.67 per employee. Among its overtime violations were not factoring non-discretionary bonuses into the overtime pay rates.
State records say Sunscape registered with the state in 2006 with its current principal address, that of Sunniland Corporation in Longwood, run by Sunscape president Thomas Moore. An online search of Sunscape puts it at the Orlando address that its state registration has for company vice president Julie Gonzalez.
Employers that find they’ve committed overtime or minimum wage violations can self-report through the Payroll Audit Independent Determination (PAID) program.
The Wage and Hour complaint section of the Department of Labor website contains information on how to file a complaint. Miami’s Wage and Hour Division office can be reached at 305-598-6607.
This story was originally published January 7, 2021 at 9:00 AM with the headline "Orlando company pays $23,000 after letting a 13-year-old work a forklift."
