News

Actions

FLDS-linked company settles lawsuit with U.S. Dept. of Labor

Posted at 11:57 AM, Nov 03, 2016
and last updated 2016-11-03 13:57:12-04

SALT LAKE CITY — A company with ties to the Fundamentalist LDS Church has agreed to settle a lawsuit leveled against it by the federal government over child labor and money given to the polygamous church.

In a court filing, the U.S. Department of Labor said it had reached a deal with Phaze Concrete. The Hildale-based company agreed to pay more than $145,000 in back wages and no longer employ children on its job sites that violate federal laws. It would also pay employees a minimum wage.

“Defendant (Phaze Concrete) contests the allegations of the Complaint and affirmatively asserts its full compliance since 2014. However, in order to avoid the costs and disruptions associated with protracted litigation, Defendant has stipulated to entry of this consent judgment for settlement of all allegations made by Plaintiff (U.S. Department of Labor) in this matter,” the settlement filing reads.

U.S. District Court Judge Clark Waddoups must still approve the agreement.

Phaze Concrete was sued by the federal government earlier this year over allegations that children were used on concrete projects across the country and money was given to the FLDS Church, and not their employees. The company most recently had been seen working on a construction project at Utah State University in Logan.

It’s the second company to be sued by the Labor Department. The government is still litigating a case against a company accused of putting hundreds of children to work at a southern Utah pecan farm. A federal judge is considering contempt charges against that company over claims it violated the terms of an agreement with the government.

Read the settlement between the U.S. Department of Labor and Phaze Concrete here: