The Country Club fined by AG for violating child labor laws – Brookline.News

The Country Club Fined for Violating Child Labor Laws

The Country Club, an exclusive South Brookline golf club, was cited and fined in August for violating child labor laws, according to state records obtained by Brookline.News.

Violations and Fines

The office of state Attorney General Andrea Campbell levied $6,000 in fines against the private club for violations of two laws. One law dictates how early or late in the day teenage employees can work. The other stipulates that teenage employees cannot work more than nine hours in a day.

The 16- and 17-year-olds who were the subject of the violations at The Country Club appear to have worked in the club’s restaurant, according to records provided to Brookline.News by the attorney general’s office following a public records request. Ten employees were found to have worked too many hours in a day, and four worked earlier or later than is allowed by law.

The citations are among the 199 citations for child labor law violations issued to 76 businesses in Massachusetts so far this year, according to data from the attorney general’s office.

Club’s Response and Changes

“With a workforce of more than 450 full-time, part-time, and seasonal staff, The Country Club is committed to the highest standards of employment practices and to ensuring compliance with all labor laws and regulations,” the club said in a statement. “Following a complete review of our policies, we have strengthened our management training procedures, protocols and communications to prevent any future occurrences.”

Some information from the complaint was redacted, including the identity of the person who filed it, but it refers to teenage workers “being significantly impacted by working too many hours too late into the night on a somewhat regular basis.”

The complainant also described trying to communicate with the club’s management about the issue, but “things have not changed.”

The records from the attorney general’s office show that the citations were issued on Aug. 29, and a spokesperson for the club confirmed that it paid the fines.

Employment of Teenagers

The club is one of the biggest employers of teenagers in Brookline, according to Kasey Boston, director of the Brookline Teen Center.

The club hires teenagers to work at its restaurant, as lifeguards at its pool, and on the groundskeeping and caddy staff at the golf course, Boston said. It offers teens competitive salaries and opportunities for advancement, she said.

“It can be a pain to take on teen workers, and there’s a lot of liability to doing it,” Boston said. “So they’re taking on a role that I really appreciate in Brookline.”

About The Country Club

The Country Club is one of the oldest golf clubs in the country and maintains a place at the top of the sport. It hosted the U.S. Open, golf’s national championship, in 2022, and is set to do so again in 2038.

Its membership is both exclusive and secretive. The Boston Globe reported in 2022, prior to the Open, that the names of its 1,300 members are kept confidential.

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

The issue of child labor violations at The Country Club connects to SDG 8, which focuses on promoting inclusive and sustainable economic growth, employment, and decent work for all. The article highlights the violation of child labor laws, indicating a lack of decent work practices at the club.

SDG 4: Quality Education

The issue of teenage employees working late into the night and too many hours connects to SDG 4, which aims to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all. The article mentions that teenage workers were significantly impacted by working too many hours too late into the night, which can affect their education and well-being.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

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 article highlights the violation of child labor laws at The Country Club, indicating a need to take measures to eliminate child labor and ensure the protection of young workers.

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 article mentions that The Country Club hires teenagers for various positions, providing them with employment opportunities. This connects to the target of increasing the number of youth with relevant skills for decent jobs.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

Indicator 8.7.1: Proportion and number of children aged 5-17 years engaged in child labor, by sex and age group (in accordance with ILO methodology)

The article mentions that 16- and 17-year-old employees at The Country Club violated child labor laws. This indicates the engagement of children in child labor, which can be measured using this indicator.

Indicator 4.4.1: Proportion of youth and adults with information and communications technology (ICT) skills, by type of skill

Although not explicitly mentioned in the article, the target of providing relevant skills for employment can be measured using indicators related to the proportion of youth with specific skills. This indicator specifically focuses on ICT skills, which are relevant in today’s job market.

4. SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: brookline.news