A and P and The Food Emporium have entered into a compliance-partnership agreement with the Labor Department's Wage and Hour Division following an investigation of A and P and Food Emporium Supermarkets throughout New York State. According to the department, the investigations disclosed numerous violations of the provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) for employing minors.

A and P also agreed to a consent judgment, filed simultaneously with the department's suit in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, which formally resolves the case. The judgment orders A and P to pay a civil money penalty to the U.S. Labor Department totaling $242,595. The company formally denies that it has committed any violations.

Department investigators say they found workers under the age of 18 operating freight lifts and freight elevators, operating and/or loading and unloading card board box balers, and cleaning and/or operating meat slicers and dough mixers.

The compliance agreement requires A and P to designate a senior member of its management team as a child-labor coordinator (CLC) to direct and coordinate compliance efforts throughout the chain. The CLC will set up an 800 number for employees to report future alleged violations, and training programs which will demonstrate the correct guidelines for employing minors. Further, the company agrees to post warnings and age-restriction stickers on all hazardous equipment, and to lock all cardboard box balers when not in use.