2 Myrtle Beach area marinas violated child labor and overtime laws, federal report says
Two Myrtle Beach area marinas violated child labor and overtime laws, the federal government said this week.
A report from the U.S. Department of Labor Investigations fined Osprey Marina in Myrtle Beach and Crazy Sister Marina in Murrells Inlet thousands of dollars for Fair Labor Standards Act violations. Both marinas allowed 14- and 15-year-old employees to work as deck hands, breaking provisions of federal law that bar minors from transporting people or property by water. The fines were first reported by the Post & Courier Myrtle Beach.
The Osprey Marina also let a minor drive a golf cart and use a lawn mower and a weed eater, all of which fall under prohibited occupations for minors.
Both marinas — as well as a third employer, Whitewater Marine, which operates marinas in Bluffton, Port Royal and Hilton Head — also violated work hour rules by allowing 14- and 15-year-olds to work more hours than allowed under federal law.
Crazy Sister Marina vice president Seth Williams said the labor law violations were mistakes and have been rectified to ensure they won’t happen again. He said the error happened because the marina fell under docks, piers and wharfs for labor purposes. The marina had 15-year-olds taking out trash and refueling boats, and the labor department “deemed that that wasn’t safe for them,” he said.
“It’s definitely been fixed,” Williams said. “It was an honest mistake and won’t happen again.”
Representatives from the Osprey Marina were unable to comment to The Sun News when called Thursday morning.
Clear restrictions control when and how many hours children can work: 14- and 15-year-olds are allowed to work three hours each school day, 18 hours during the school week, eight hours on a non-school day, and 40 hours a week when school is out. They can also only work 7 a.m.-7 p.m.
“Particularly as the school year begins, employers of 14- and 15-year-olds must know the child labor rules concerning the hours these minors can legally work. At all times, employers must ensure that minors are not employed in prohibited occupations,” said Jamie Benefied, the U.S. Labor Department’s wage and hour division district director for Columbia. “Child labor restrictions in the law are designed to ensure that young workers enjoy a safe experience on the job, and make certain employment does not interfere with education. The U.S. Department of Labor encourages employers and employees at recreational establishments to contact us if they have questions about child labor rules.”
Osprey Marina and a subsidiary of Whitewater Marine also failed to pay overtime to some workers, instead paying them the standard hourly rate, another federal labor violation.
The federal government fined Osprey Marina $4,117, Crazy Sister Marina $2,571 and a Whitewater Marine subsidiary $1,382.
This story was originally published September 23, 2021 at 12:10 PM.
