News

Actions

FLDS-linked company reaches settlement in child labor case

Posted at 4:58 PM, Apr 12, 2017
and last updated 2017-04-12 18:58:10-04

SALT LAKE CITY — A company with ties to the Fundamentalist LDS Church has struck a deal with the federal government over sanctions in a child labor case.

Hours before they were due before a federal judge to face a potential contempt of court citation, Paragon Contractors and Brian Jessop settled a dispute with the U.S. Department of Labor over fines levied against it. Filings in U.S. District Court stated the company agreed to pay $200,000 over the next year.

Read the filing here:

Paragon Contractors faced sanctions over a 2012 incident where hundreds of children from the Hildale-based Fundamentalist LDS Church were put to work on a southern Utah farm harvesting pecans under orders from polygamous sect leaders.

That followed a 2007 incident involving child labor violations.