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HARRISBURG -- Walmart will pay $7.8 million in penalties to settle child labor violations at its Pennsylvania stores following an investigation that found minors working excessive hours, missing required breaks and working without proper permits.
The Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry announced the settlement Monday, calling it the largest child labor enforcement action in state history.
The agreement includes $7.68 million in administrative penalties, in addition to $142,785 in fines Walmart previously paid during the investigation.
The investigation began in February 2025 after the department’s Bureau of Workers’ Compensation referred cases involving minors who had been injured while working at Walmart stores.
Investigators conducted 10 audits at eight Walmart locations across Pennsylvania, identifying an average of 65 violations of the state’s Child Labor Act per audit.
According to the department, violations included failing to obtain required work permits, failing to notify school districts when minors were hired or terminated, denying legally required breaks and allowing minors to work more hours than state law permits.
After finding similar violations at multiple locations, investigators expanded their enforcement efforts beyond the stores initially audited, resulting in a settlement covering Walmart locations statewide.
Under the agreement, Walmart must implement additional measures to comply with Pennsylvania’s child labor laws. Those requirements include training managers on employment restrictions for minors, posting information about employee rights and providing employment records for selected locations during follow-up reviews.
The department will conduct compliance checks at six-month and one-year intervals. Walmart also agreed to pay penalties at twice the department’s typical rate if additional violations are discovered during those reviews.
“Pennsylvania’s child labor laws exist to protect our kids, and employers have a responsibility to follow them,” Labor & Industry Secretary Nancy A. Walker said.
Walker said the investigation revealed a pattern of violations that warranted enforcement beyond the individual stores initially examined.
The settlement is among the largest child labor enforcement actions undertaken by a state labor agency in the United States, according to the department.
Since January 2023, the department has investigated more than 2,200 child labor cases statewide and identified violations involving hundreds of employers.
Pennsylvania’s Child Labor Act regulates the hours minors may work, requires employment permits and restricts certain occupations and working conditions for employees younger than 18.
Workers and members of the public who suspect child labor violations can file complaints with the Department of Labor & Industry through its website at pa.gov.