Harrisburg, PA – Today, Governor Josh Shapiro and Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry (L&I) Secretary Nancy A. Walker announced that the Shapiro Administration has secured a historic $7.8 million settlement with Walmart for violations of Pennsylvania's Child Labor Act at stores across the Commonwealth. The settlement agreement represents the largest child labor enforcement action in Pennsylvania history and includes compliance measures to protect young workers and prevent future violations at Walmart stores.
Under the settlement, Walmart will pay $7.68 million in administrative penalties, in addition to $142,785 in fines previously paid following L&I's initial investigations in this case. The combined $7.8 million in penalties is the largest Child Labor Act settlement in Pennsylvania history and represents one of the largest child labor settlements ever secured by a state labor enforcement agency in the United States.
“From my first day in office, I’ve made it clear that my Administration stands with Pennsylvania’s workers, by investing historic amounts in apprenticeships and vo-tech, valuing skills and experience over arbitrary degree requirements and ensuring workers are protected on the job,” said Governor Josh Shapiro. “Standing with workers also means making sure they are paid for every penny they are owed and the laws that protect them are followed and upheld. Under Secretary Walker, L&I has stepped up its labor law enforcement work, leading to this landmark settlement in one of the largest child labor enforcement actions in the nation’s history. Every employer in Pennsylvania should be on notice: we will not tolerate you taking advantage of our youngest workers.”
"Pennsylvania's child labor laws exist to protect our kids, and employers have a responsibility to follow them," said Secretary Walker. "When our investigators identified a pattern of violations at Walmart stores, we knew we needed to look beyond those individual locations. This settlement is the result of our team's work to hold Walmart accountable across the Commonwealth, and the future commitments we've secured will help prevent these violations from happening again. Protecting young workers is one of our most important responsibilities, and we take it seriously."
L&I's Bureau of Labor Law Compliance (BLLC) began investigating Walmart in February 2025 after receiving referrals from the Department's Bureau of Workers' Compensation about minors who were injured while working at Walmart stores. Investigators conducted 10 audits at eight Walmart locations throughout Pennsylvania, finding an average of 65 Child Labor Act violations per audit.
The violations identified during the investigations include:
- Failing to obtain required work permits for minor employees;
- Failing to notify school districts when minor employees were hired or terminated;
- Failing to provide minor employees with breaks required by law; and
- Allowing minors to work more hours than permitted under Pennsylvania law.
After identifying a pattern of violations at the stores investigated, BLLC expanded its enforcement efforts to address child labor compliance at Walmart locations statewide. Rather than limiting enforcement to the stores initially audited, the Department pursued a statewide settlement covering Walmart stores throughout Pennsylvania.
In addition to the financial penalties, several features of the settlement agreement are designed to prevent future child labor violations at Walmart, including:
- Manager training on Pennsylvania's child labor laws;
- Workplace postings that inform employees of their rights; and
- A requirement to provide records related to the employment of minors at selected locations on six-month and one-year intervals following the execution date.
In the settlement, Walmart also agreed to pay an amplified penalty of double L&I’s typical fine figure if any violations are found in the future compliance checks outlined in the agreement.
Since Governor Shapiro took office in January 2023, L&I has investigated more than 2,200 child labor cases across Pennsylvania and found violations by hundreds of employers. The Walmart settlement marks the Department's largest child labor enforcement action to date and reflects the Shapiro Administration's continued efforts to ensure employers follow Pennsylvania's labor laws and young workers receive full protection under the law.
Pennsylvania's Child Labor Act, enforced by BLLC, protects the health, safety, and welfare of minors employed in the Commonwealth by restricting the hours they may work, prohibiting employment in certain occupations, regulating working conditions, and requiring work permits.
How to Submit a Complaint
L&I's Bureau of Labor Law Compliance responds to complaints from workers and members of the public who suspect violations of Pennsylvania's Child Labor Act or other labor laws. Anyone who believes an employer is violating the law can submit a complaint through L&I's website at pa.gov.
For more information about Pennsylvania's Child Labor Act and the protections available to young workers, please visit the L&I’s website or follow L&I on Instagram, Facebook, X, and LinkedIn.