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Chattanooga company must pay $400,000 penalty for child labor violations

A sign stands outside the U.S. Department of Labor's headquarters in Washington. An investigation by the department lead to a $400,000 fine for a Chattanooga-based company for violation of child labor laws. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky, File)
A sign stands outside the U.S. Department of Labor's headquarters in Washington. An investigation by the department lead to a $400,000 fine for a Chattanooga-based company for violation of child labor laws. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky, File) A sign stands outside the U.S. Department of Labor's headquarters in Washington. An investigation by the department lead to a $400,000 fine for a Chattanooga-based company for violation of child labor laws. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky, File)

By Staff Report 3 min read

A Chattanooga-based cleaning contractor has agreed to pay a $400,000 penalty following allegations that it employed children on overnight sanitation shifts.

The company, QSI, will also monitor and audit policies to prevent the employment of children in dangerous jobs, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.

Federal investigators allege the children worked overnight shifts at 13 meat and poultry processing facilities from January 2021 through February 2024, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. The department alleges violations were found in Alabama, California, Delaware, Indiana, Iowa, Ohio, Tennessee and Virginia.

In response, the company said these are allegations and not findings of fact. QSI has done its own independent, third-party audits, and it is unable to verify the department of labor’s claims, the company said.

“QSI entered into this voluntary settlement agreement solely to avoid the time and expense of litigation, only after (the department of labor’s) investigation found zero underage individuals on-site or working at QSI,” a spokesperson for QSI, Michael Hotra, said in an email. “(The department of labor) has acknowledged that QSI’s industry-best compliance measures are working effectively.”