Feds accuse Hyundai and two suppliers of using child labor

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Report: Child Labor Violation at Hyundai Motor Co.

Introduction

The U.S. Department of Labor has taken legal action against South Korean auto giant Hyundai Motor Co., an auto parts plant, and a recruiting company after discovering a 13-year-old girl working illegally on an assembly line in Alabama.

Details of the Case

1. The Labor Department filed a complaint in U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Alabama to demand that Hyundai, SMART Alabama, and Best Practice Service relinquish any profits related to child labor.
2. The 13-year-old girl was found working up to 50 to 60 hours a week on an assembly line in Luverne, Alabama, producing auto body parts for Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama.
3. The child worked at the facility for six to seven months instead of attending middle school.

Legal Actions and Responses

• The Labor Department accused all three companies of jointly employing the child and violating child labor laws.
• Hyundai is held responsible for repeated child labor violations at SMART Alabama, one of its subsidiaries.
• Hyundai expressed disappointment at the complaint and stated that they enforce U.S. labor laws.

Implications and Actions Taken

• Hyundai’s suppliers ended relationships with staffing agencies named in the complaint and implemented stricter workplace standards.
• The company now requires independently verified audits of its suppliers’ operations to ensure compliance with labor laws.

Significance of the Case

This case is the first time the Labor Department has sued a major company for violating child labor laws at a subcontractor, highlighting the need for stricter enforcement and monitoring of labor practices in supply chains.

Conclusion

The issue of child labor violations underscores the importance of upholding Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) related to decent work and economic growth (SDG 8) and quality education (SDG 4) to ensure the well-being and rights of children worldwide.

## Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Addressed in the Article

### SDG 4: Quality Education
The issue of child labor highlighted in the article is connected to SDG 4, which aims to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.

### SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
The exploitation of child labor in the workforce relates to SDG 8, which focuses on promoting sustained, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment, and decent work for all.

## Specific Targets and Indicators Identified in the Article

### Target 4.4: By 2030, substantially increase the number of youth and adults who have relevant skills, including technical and vocational skills, for employment, decent jobs, and entrepreneurship.
The presence of a 13-year-old girl working on an assembly line instead of attending school indicates a failure to provide relevant skills for employment and decent work opportunities.

### 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, including recruitment and use of child soldiers, and by 2025 end child labor in all its forms.
The discovery of a 13-year-old girl working long hours on an assembly line highlights the need to eradicate child labor in all its forms by taking immediate and effective measures.

## Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

| SDGs | Targets | Indicators |
|———————–|———————————————————————————————————-|————————————————————————————————-|
| SDG 4: Quality Education | Target 4.4: By 2030, substantially increase the number of youth and adults with relevant skills for employment. | Presence of a 13-year-old girl working on an assembly line instead of attending school. |
| SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth | Target 8.7: Take immediate measures to eradicate forced labor and end child labor by 2025. | Discovery of a 13-year-old girl working on an assembly line for long hours. |

Copyright: Dive into this article, curated with care by SDG Investors Inc. Our advanced AI technology searches through vast amounts of data to spotlight how we are all moving forward with the Sustainable Development Goals. While we own the rights to this content, we invite you to share it to help spread knowledge and spark action on the SDGs.

Fuente: cbsnews.com

Join us, as fellow seekers of change, on a transformative journey at https://sdgtalks.ai/welcome, where you can become a member and actively contribute to shaping a brighter future.