CHAMBERSBURG, Pa. — A Walmart store in Franklin County was among eight Pennsylvania locations investigated for child labor violations in a case that resulted in a $7.8 million statewide settlement, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry.
The Walmart at 1730 Lincoln Way in Chambersburg was included in the initial investigation, which uncovered violations involving work permits, employee breaks and restrictions on the number of hours minors are permitted to work.
Gov. Josh Shapiro and Labor & Industry Secretary Nancy A. Walker announced the settlement Monday, Nov. 9, describing it as the largest child labor enforcement action in Pennsylvania history.
Under the agreement, Walmart will pay $7.68 million in administrative penalties in addition to $142,785 in fines previously paid during the investigation. The combined penalties total approximately $7.8 million.
Investigation began after reports of injured minors
The state’s Bureau of Labor Law Compliance began investigating Walmart in February 2025 after receiving referrals from the Bureau of Workers’ Compensation involving minors who had been injured while working at Walmart stores.
Investigators conducted 10 audits at eight Walmart locations across Pennsylvania, identifying an average of 65 violations of the state’s Child Labor Act per audit.
According to Labor & Industry, the violations included failing to obtain required work permits for employees younger than 18, failing to notify school districts when minors were hired or terminated, not providing legally required breaks and allowing minors to work longer hours than permitted under state law.
The department did not release a breakdown identifying how many violations occurred at each location or which specific violations were documented at the Chambersburg store.
The eight stores included in the initial audits were:
- Chambersburg: 1730 Lincoln Way
- Cranberry Township: 20245 Route 19
- Lancaster: 2030 Fruitville Pike
- Saint Clair: 500 Terry Rich Blvd.
- Greensburg: 2200 Greengate Centre Circle
- Etters: 50 Newberry Parkway
- Trevose: 3461 Horizon Blvd.
- Butler: 400 Butler Commons
After identifying what officials described as a pattern of violations, the department expanded its enforcement efforts beyond the eight locations to address compliance at Walmart stores throughout Pennsylvania.
The resulting settlement applies statewide rather than solely to the stores included in the initial audits.
Settlement requires additional oversight
In addition to the financial penalties, Walmart agreed to implement measures intended to improve compliance with Pennsylvania’s child labor laws.
Those requirements include training managers on state labor regulations and posting information in workplaces explaining employees’ rights.
Walmart must also provide records concerning the employment of minors at selected stores during compliance reviews scheduled six months and one year after the agreement takes effect.
The settlement includes increased financial penalties if additional violations are discovered during those reviews. Walmart agreed to pay twice the department’s typical fine amount for violations identified through the specified compliance checks.
Walker said investigators expanded the inquiry after finding similar problems at multiple locations.
“When our investigators identified a pattern of violations at Walmart stores, we knew we needed to look beyond those individual locations,” Walker said in a statement.
She said the agreement includes requirements intended to prevent future violations.
Pennsylvania child labor protections
Pennsylvania’s Child Labor Act establishes employment requirements for workers younger than 18.
The law regulates working hours, requires work permits, restricts minors from certain occupations and establishes rules intended to protect young employees’ health and safety.
According to the Department of Labor & Industry, the agency has investigated more than 2,200 child labor cases since January 2023 and identified violations involving hundreds of employers.
The Walmart settlement represents the department’s largest child labor enforcement action to date.
State officials said the settlement funds will support labor law education, enforcement and compliance efforts.
The department has not publicly identified the number of minor employees affected at the Chambersburg location or provided store-specific findings in its announcement.
