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- The US Department of Labour filed a complaint against Tennessee's biggest pork producer.
- Tosh Pork LLC is accused of retaliating against workers who asked about their wages.
- It also said one worker found a pig's head at his workstation after discussing pay with managers.
The US Department of Labour filed a complaint and a motion seeking a temporary restraining order against Tennessee's biggest pork producer, which it accused of retaliating against workers who asked about pay.
In one incident, the DOL said in a press release, a Tosh Pork LLC employee found a severed pig's head at their workstation following a meeting with management about their wages. It didn't specify who left it there.
The Labor Department also claims that the employee was threatened with being fired during the meeting.
The DOL complaint says that Tosh Pork violated sections of the Fair Labor Standards Act, which safeguards workers' ability to ask about their wages.
The Act also prevents employers from discriminating against employees who have filed a complaint to the Wage and Hour Division.
The department alleged that another worker, who also cared for the farm's pigs, faced retaliation after asking about pay.
In that incident, the department said that the employee was assigned tasks unrelated to their usual responsibilities, which included cleaning offices, bathrooms, and pig waste.
After learning that the employee may have filed a complaint, Tosh Pork tried to force them to sign a document banning them from discussing pay issues with their colleagues, according to the Department of Labor.
"Tosh Pork's appalling actions and clear attempts to intimidate and retaliate against its employees will not be tolerated," Tremelle Howard, the DOL's regional solicitor in Atlanta, said in the news release.
In an email to Business Insider, Tosh Pork's veterinarian, Seth Krantz, refuted the allegations.
He said Tosh Pork seeks to follow the FLSA and treat employees "with dignity and respect."
Krantz added that the company intends to "defend itself in court."
The DOL investigation also found that the company owed five workers $39,375 in back wages along with $36,731 in penalties.