Let me tell you about a case that sounds more like a scene from a movie than your typical workplace investigation. The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) is going after Tosh Pork LLC, a farm in Tennessee, for allegedly retaliating against workers who dared to ask about their pay. Yes, you read that right. The DOL’s Wage and Hour Division has filed a complaint seeking a temporary restraining order to stop the farm from continuing retaliatory actions, which are strictly prohibited under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).
It all started when two workers—whose job was to care for the farm’s pigs—questioned how they were being paid, which is a right protected under federal law. What happened next was pretty wild. One of them suddenly found themselves assigned to cleaning offices and bathrooms, along with shoveling pig waste. These were not their usual tasks. And on top of that, management tried to get them to sign a document saying they wouldn’t discuss pay with other workers. Pretty shady, right?
But things took an even darker turn for another employee. After asking about wages, this person returned to their workstation to find—get ready for this—a severed pig’s head. Yes, you heard that right. A pig’s head, sitting there, clearly intended to send a message. The DOL claims this was an attempt to intimidate and silence employees. Talk about going overboard!
Tremelle Howard, the Regional Solicitor in Atlanta, didn’t mince words: “Tosh Pork’s appalling actions and clear attempts to intimidate and retaliate against its employees will not be tolerated.” And I think we can all agree on that!
On top of all this, the investigation uncovered that Tosh Pork wasn’t meeting the employment requirements for workers under the H-2A visa guest worker program, and they now owe back wages and penalties—$39,375 to five workers, plus $36,731 in civil fines. Ouch!
Lisa Kelly, the District Director of the Wage and Hour Division in Nashville, made it clear that workers should feel safe reporting any workplace concerns. “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.”
Tosh Pork runs a huge operation—11,000 acres where they raise pigs and grow crops like corn, soybeans, and barley. They even supply to major distributors like JBS USA, Kroger, and Costco.
Now, as serious as all of this is, it’s hard to ignore the fact that Tosh Pork’s attempt at employee intimidation was, well, a bit over-the-top. Severed pig heads, really? It feels like something out of a gangster movie! Here’s hoping that the next twist in this story brings a fair resolution for the workers. And who knew asking about your pay could turn into such a hogwash?
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