On Feb 3, Reuven Blau of The City published an article exposing the accumulation of $1.2 million fines by Rikers Island inmates. These fines, which date back to 2015, act as punishments for failing to listen to direct orders against assaulting other inmates. Those fines are withdrawn from the inmate’s commissary funds which are used by inmates to purchase certain “luxury” items. Items could range from $0.90 for an envelope to $88.40 for an MP3 player. However, in order to avoid any disputes pertaining to unjustified fines, inmates can stand in front of an internal tribunal and defend themselves. According to Bleu, “if a detainee is found guilty, the money…
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Chipotle Charged $1.3 Million in Child Labor Violations
According to the U.S. Department of Labor’s official website, part of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) is “to protect the educational opportunities of minors and prohibit their employment in jobs and under conditions detrimental to their health or well-being.” However, Chipotle’s chain of Mexican grills in the state of Massachusetts failed to comply with that law, resulting in a fine totaling roughly $1.3 million on account of over 13,000 violations across more than 50 state-wide eateries. Massachusetts’s labor laws authorize minors to work no more than 48 hours a week. 14 to 15-year-olds cannot work later than 7 PM. That time is bumped up three hours to 10 PM…
