Forever 21 Goes A Few Rounds With The US Department Of Labor (Forever In Trouble With The Law)

Forever 21 is on a fast rise to claim the title as the most lawless of the fast fashion retail giants.  The Los Angeles based retailer’s last battle with the law included allegations of intellectual property theft, and now they are going a few rounds with the US Department of Labor.  According to Ruben Rosalez, regional administrator for the Labor Department’s division in the West, “since 2008, our investigators have identified dozens of manufacturers producing goods for Forever 21 under sweatshop-like conditions.” The results of the investigation led to Forever 21 being requested to produce documents concerning the labor practices of their apparel contractors and manufacturers.  The retailer’s failure to disclose the documents resulted in The Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division serving them with a subpoena, on August 16, 2012.  The subpoena did little to persuade the company to turn over the documents, forcing the Department of Labor’s Regional Office of the Solicitor in L.A to file a legal action for the Central District of California to enforce the subpoena.  “When companies like Forever 21 refuse to comply with subpoenas, they demonstrate a clear disregard for the law, and the Labor Department will use all enforcement tools available to recover workers’ wages and hold employers accountable,” said Ruben Rosalez.  It appears the lawlessness of Forever 21 has  incurred the wrath of the Labor Department.

What do you make of Forever 21′s refusal to hand over the document?