Walmart has agreed to pay nearly US$8 million to settle widespread child labour violations in the US state of Pennsylvania, following an investigation by state authorities.
The probe began in February 2025 after the Pennsylvania Department of Labour and Industry received complaints that minors had been injured while working at Walmart stores. Investigators carried out 10 audits across eight Walmart locations and found an average of 65 violations of the state’s Child Labour Act during each audit.
The violations included allowing minors to work beyond legally-permitted hours and failing to obtain mandatory work permits for underage employees.
After uncovering a recurring pattern of non-compliance at the audited stores, Pennsylvania authorities expanded their investigation to Walmart locations across the state. The broader enforcement effort ultimately led to a settlement requiring the retail giant to pay US$7.68 million in administrative penalties.
This is in addition to US$142,785 in fines that Walmart had already paid following the initial investigations.
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro described the action as one of the largest child labour enforcement cases in US history.
As part of the settlement, Walmart has committed to strengthening compliance measures to prevent future violations. These steps include training managers on child labour regulations and displaying information about employee rights in stores.
State labour officials said the expanded investigation and settlement were aimed not only at holding the company accountable but also at improving safeguards for young workers across Pennsylvania.
Walmart stated that it was pleased to resolve the matter and maintained that it already has compliance processes in place, including procedures for meeting legal documentation requirements. The company added that it regularly reviews and improves these systems.
The case underscores the importance of rigorous compliance monitoring, manager training, and robust oversight of young and vulnerable workers.
