Attorney General's News Release

April 20, 2000

Man who illegally employed 43 children to peddle candy door-to-door for his own profit must pay $10,000

Jefferson City, Mo. — Attorney General Jay Nixon today obtained a court order requiring a Springfield man who illegally employed 43 children under the age of 16 to pay $10,000 in civil damages. The award is the second highest amount ever assessed for violation of Missouri child labor laws.

Jerome Coonis, who did business as Elite Teens, used the children to sell candy door-to-door in the Springfield area. The candy sales did not benefit any school, church or charitable organization. Coonis kept all profits from the sales, less the wages paid to the children. Coonis was investigated by the Division of Labor Standards.

According to Missouri law, employers may not use children under the age of 16 to sell door-to-door without permission from the Director of Labor Standards and children under the age of 14 may not do this type of work at all. Twenty four of the 43 children employed by Coonis were younger than 14.

Children 16 and younger must also obtain work certificates to work during the school year. None of the children employed by Coonis had work certificates and Coonis did not have permission to employ children in door-to-door sales.

"It is important to protect our children by enforcing our child labor laws," Nixon said. "No adult should be able to use children improperly for his own financial gain."

Schools, church and charitable organizations raising funds are exempt from the law concerning door-to-door sales.

Inquiries from consumers should be directed to consumer@ago.mo.gov or 1-800-392-8222 (from within Missouri) or 573-751-3321 (outside Missouri).

All media inquiries should be directed to Press Secretary John Fougere.

E-mail      Phone: 573-751-8844         Fax: 573-751-5818