Chipotle slated to pay more than $300K in Washington, D.C. child labor lawsuit settlement

Chipotle Mexican Grill to Pay More Than $300K in Washington D.C. Child Labor Settlement

Chipotle Mexican Grill has agreed to pay more than $300,000 to the District of Columbia following allegations that the popular chain violated D.C. child labor laws over 800 times in the past three years, according to D.C. Attorney General Brian L. Schwalb. The violations include allowing employees under the age of 18 to work more than eight hours a day, more than 48 hours in a week, and more than six consecutive days in a work week. Chipotle also allowed children to work after 10 p.m. An investigation conducted in May 2022 into the chain’s 20 D.C.-based restaurants revealed that these violations have been occurring since April 2020.

Settlement Details

As part of the settlement, Chipotle will pay $322,400 to D.C. and has agreed to implement a new training and workplace compliance plan, as stated by prosecutors. However, Chipotle maintains its denial of the District’s allegations regarding violations of any child labor laws. The company states that the settlement agreement does not imply an admission of guilt or liability.

Past Violations

This is not the first time Chipotle has faced accusations of violating state child labor laws. In 2020, the chain paid Massachusetts $1.4 million for 13,253 alleged violations of child labor laws. Additionally, in September, Chipotle settled with New Jersey for $7.75 million due to “alleged widespread and persistent violations of the state’s child labor laws,” as described by New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin.

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

1. SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

   • Target 8.7: Take immediate and effective measures to eradicate forced labor, end modern slavery and human trafficking, and secure the prohibition and elimination of the worst forms of child labor.
   • Indicator 8.7.1: Proportion and number of children aged 5-17 years engaged in child labor, by sex and age group (relevant for measuring progress in eradicating child labor).

The issues highlighted in the article are connected to SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth. Specifically, the article discusses Chipotle’s violations of child labor laws, which is a form of forced labor and a violation of children’s rights.

The specific target under SDG 8 that can be identified based on the article’s content is Target 8.7: Take immediate and effective measures to eradicate forced labor, end modern slavery and human trafficking, and secure the prohibition and elimination of the worst forms of child labor.

The article mentions that Chipotle violated child labor laws by allowing employees under the age of 18 to work more than eight hours a day, more than 48 hours in a week, and more than six consecutive days in a work week. These violations are examples of the worst forms of child labor that Target 8.7 aims to eliminate.

The article does not explicitly mention the indicator 8.7.1, which measures the proportion and number of children engaged in child labor. However, it implies the existence of child labor by stating that Chipotle allowed employees under the age of 18 to work in violation of labor laws. This can be used as an indicator to measure progress towards eradicating child labor.

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Source: salon.com

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