During 1987, investigations of 113 cases of alleged or suspected child labor violations at Massachusetts business establishments were conducted. Thirteen (38 percent) of these were randomly selected for review. Compliance officers in the Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division substantiated child labor violations in 9 of the 13 cases. A total of 846 minors were found working longer hours or outside the time frames allowed under the Fair Labor Standards Act. Thirty-three minors were operating hazardous machinery, and two were under the minimum employment age of 14. Nine of the 13 cases reviewed were initiated as a result of a complaint; in six cases, the Department of Labor began its investigation within 1 month. However, response time in the other 3 complaints ranged from 4 to 16 months. The remaining four cases were directed investigations that were initiated by the Department of Labor rather than by complaint. Civil monetary penalties totaling $519,830 were assessed in nine of the cases. This was reduced to $206,730 through negotiations with employers in three of the cases, with employers paying the original amount in the other six cases. Injuries occurred to illegally employed minors in one of the five cases in which minors were found working in prohibited occupations. Twelve injuries were sustained by 11 employees, all of whom were operating meat-slicing devices. (MN)

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