Company fined for child labor replaces CEO, launches fund to fight child labor

LTC Eugene Chu
..."The company, owned by the Blackstone private-equity firm, said it is also launching a new $10 million fund to “enhance the well-being of children in the communities we serve and helping reduce the prevalence of the rising problem of underage workers.” The company said the fund will aid “direct community services in legal aid, education, poverty reduction, and health services.”

The company has denied knowingly hiring child labor and said in the past the only way that a minor could have been employed was through rogue attempts to use fake identification. According to PSSI, it “has a zero-tolerance policy against employing anyone under the age of 18, and fully shares the DOL’s objective of ensuring full compliance at all locations.”


Large sanitation company facing child labor accusations
But on Wednesday the company wrote in a statement, “Regardless of the reason [the violations] occurred, however, it is our responsibility to fix the problem.”

The company said it’s also beefing up internal training on age verification and hiring outside consultants who are former officials at Customs and Border Protection and the Labor Department."...