Aug 21, 2015
DOL threatening hot goods injunctions in Washington state

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) is conducting inspections in Yakima Valley apple orchards. Inspectors have apparently discovered minors working in the fields, and they are threatening to impose a hot goods injunction, according to wafla.

Wafla, an organization that aids agricultural employers, recommends they prepare for potential DOL inspections as follows:

  • Get every person who is not an employee out of the orchard.
  • Review visitor policy and procedure with workers for dealing with DOL inspectors who enter orchards unescorted.
  • Review the questions that could be asked at a DOL inspection.
  • Review a hot goods contingency plan with your packing facility.

A hot goods injunction occurs when the agency determines that goods were illegally produced and seeks to bar them from entering the stream of commerce, according to wafla.




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