Korean automaker Hyundai is facing allegations of illegally employing teenagers in the United States. According to a report in the Reuters news agency, a subsidiary of Hyundai called SMART, which manufactures spare parts for Hyundai for some of its most prominent vehicles, employed children aged 12-15 at its plant in Alabama, in violation of the law.
According to the report, the children who produced metal parts for Hyundai were considered full-fledged employees, and as a result did not belong to an educational framework.
In a statement issued by Hyundai after the report on the employment of the children in Reuters, it said that it “does not tolerate illegal employment practices in any Hyundai entity. We have policies and procedures that require compliance with all local, state and federal laws.”
In a separate statement, SMART said that it operates according to federal and local laws and “denies any allegation that it knowingly employed anyone who is unfit for work.” The company said that it relies on employment agencies to fill jobs, and expects that “these agencies will act according to the law in recruiting and placing employees.”