Red Bull’s Christian Horner is Cleared of Allegations of Inappropriate Misconduct
Earlier in February, Red Bull launched an independent investigation into allegations of inappropriate behavior regarding F1 Team Principal Christian Horner.[1] Sources say that the concerns were raised by a female colleague of Horner’s, and involved allegations of controlling behavior and inappropriate text messages.[2] A spokesperson for Horner said that he “reject[ed] these claims entirely,” although the F1 team did not comment further beyond announcing the commencement of an investigation carried out by an external specialist barrister.[3]
On February 28, 2024, Red Bull announced that the complaint “has been dismissed.”[4] Said the company’s spokesperson in a statement: “The independent investigation into the allegations made against Mr. Horner is complete, and Red Bull can confirm that the grievance has been dismissed.”[5] The statement said further: “Red Bull is confident that the investigation has been fair, rigorous and impartial.”[6] Red Bull will not be publicly releasing the confidential investigation report, as it contains private information of the parties as well as third parties who assisted in the investigation. F1’s first race of the 2024 season takes place in Bahrain this weekend.
U.S. Department of Labor Seeks Nationwide Injunction Against Company for Employing Underage Workers
On February 27, 2024, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) filed for a nationwide injunction against Fayette Janitorial Services LLC for employing underage children to work overnight shifts cleaning dangerous equipment in slaughterhouses.[7] Fayette is based in Somerville, Tennessee and provides cleaning services at meat-processing facilities in several states, including Iowa and Virginia. An investigation by the DOL into Fayette’s Iowa and Virginia facilities found that the company had hired at least 24 children between the ages of thirteen and seventeen to work overnight shifts cleaning power equipment.[8] One child, who was hired by Fayette at the age of thirteen, was seriously injured in the company’s Perdue plant in Accomack County, Virginia in February 2022.
The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) prohibits children under the age of eighteen from working in dangerous occupations, including most jobs in meat and poultry slaughtering, processing and packing facilities.[9] Since 2018, the number of child labor investigations by the DOL has risen 69%. In fiscal year 2023, the DOL identified child labor violations in 955 cases and assessed employers with more than $8 million in penalties.[10]
In the meantime, the Florida House recently promulgated legislation aimed at removing the prohibition restricting sixteen- and seventeen-year-olds from working more than eight hours when they have classes the next day and more than thirty hours per week when school is in session.
[1] https://www.espn.com/f1/story/_/id/39464228/red-bull-boss-christian-horner-investigated-allegations-inappropriate-behaviour
[2] Id.
[3] Id.
[4] https://www.nbcnews.com/news/sports/red-bull-clears-christian-horner-investigation-formula-1-team-boss-rcna140670
[5] Id.
[6] Id.
[7] https://www.shrm.org/topics-tools/news/dol-seeks-injunction-against-company-employing-underage-workers#:~:text=The%20U.S.%20Department%20of%20Labor,cleaning%20dangerous%20equipment%20in%20slaughterhouses.
[8] Id.
[9] Id.
[10] Id.