A Los Angeles clothing manufacturer was shut down by the L.A. County Department of Public Health after more than 300 employees tested positive for COVID-19 and four died, according to The Hill.
Los Angeles Apparel, which employs more than 350 people, was issued an order to shut down June 27 by the DPH after an investigation revealed "flagrant violations of mandatory public health infection control orders," per the report.
"The death of four dedicated garment workers is heartbreaking and tragic," DPH Director Barbara Ferrer said in a statement, per The Hill. "Business owners and operators have a corporate, moral and social responsibility to their employees and their families to provide a safe work environment that adheres to all of the health officer directives — this responsibility is important, now more than ever, as we continue to fight this deadly virus."
The company reportedly failed to comply with multiple DPH requests for a list of employees to conduct contact tracing and inspectors noted June 27 "multiple violations of distancing requirements and infection control protocols," per the report.
"At this time, Los Angeles Apparel is under orders to remain closed until they can show that the facility is in full compliance with Public Health mandates," DPH told The Hill.
Among the complaints against the company was the hiring of new employees, which the founder Dov Charney admitted to while disputing other violations.
"Absolutely, we brought in new employees," Charney told CNN. "What company can't hire new employees? No one said do not hire new employees."
Eric Mack ✉
Eric Mack has been a writer and editor at Newsmax since 2016. He is a 1998 Syracuse University journalism graduate and a New York Press Association award-winning writer.
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