Ohio Painting Company Fined for Hazardous Employment of Minors
Neubert Painting Inc. allowed underage workers to work on customers’ roofs.
- By Robert Yaniz Jr.
- Apr 05, 2024
A painting company in Ohio has been penalized $30,276 for employing two 17-year-old minors to paint houses, in violation of child labor laws.
According to a recent release, the U.S. Department of Labor's (DOL) Wage and Hour Division found that the Brook Park, Ohio-based Neubert Painting Inc. and its owner John Neubert breached the Fair Labor Standards Act's child labor provisions during the summers of 2021 and 2022.
The DOL investigation revealed the company assigned minors to work from clients’ roofs to paint multi-story homes, a task which is considered hazardous work for individuals under 18 years old. Hazardous Order 16 prohibits minors from most jobs in roofing operations, including tasks performed on or about a roof.
“Employers must be acutely aware of the restrictions that apply to any workers under the age of 18,” Wage and Hour District Director Matthew Utley in Columbus, Ohio, said in a statement. “Work that involves children on roofs is inherently dangerous. Employers who violate federal child labor laws jeopardize the lives and health of children and risk large fines and penalties.”
The penalties for child labor law violations under the Fair Labor Standards Act were increased to as much as $15,629 per violation as of January 2024. In addition to the child labor violations, investigators discovered Neubert Painting Inc. failed to maintain accurate payroll records.
In February 2023, the DOL established an Interagency Task Force to protect underage workers from exploitative situations. In fiscal year 2023, investigators found child labor violations in 955 cases and assessed employers with over $8 million in penalties.
About the Author
Robert Yaniz Jr. is the Content Editor of Occupational Health & Safety.