Labor Department says pork farm retaliated against employee with severed pig's head

Patrick Hilsman
·2 min read
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March 5 (UPI) -- The U.S. Department of Labor asked for an injunction Tuesday against Tennessee-based Tosh Pork LLC for allegedly retaliating against employees.

In one case, an employee found a severed pig head at their workstation, Labor Department officials said.

The department found that the farm had assigned punitive tasks to two employees who had cooperated with an investigation by the department's Wage and Hour Division.

"The department's Wage and Hour Division found that two Tosh Pork workers who provided animal care to the farm's pigs cooperated with division investigators after the workers asked their employer about their pay," the Labor Department said in a press release Tuesday. "After Tosh Pork learned of an initial complaint, the employer tasked one employee with cleaning offices and bathrooms."

The department said Tosh Pork had violated federal law, which prohibits retaliation against workers who report violations or cooperate with investigators.

The Department says Tosh Pork accused employees of cooperating with investigators and tried to pressure them into signing an agreement stating that they would not discuss wages with other employees.

"Investigators also learned another worker, who had also asked about their wages, was called to meet with the farm's management and threatened with termination," the Labor Department said. "Returning to their workstation, they found a severed pig's head."

The Labor Department found that workers were owed $39,375 in unpaid wages.

The Labor Department's Atlanta Regional Solicitor Tremelle Howard said the company's "appalling actions and clear attempts to intimidate and retaliate against its employees will not be tolerated."

The department also fined Tosh Pork $36,731 in civil penalties.

"Any worker who wishes to share concerns about their workplace with our trained professionals should know that they can do so without fear of being fired or discriminated against at their workplace," said Tennessee Wage and Hour Division District Director Lisa Kelly.