Dollar General Getting Hit by DOL Fines Again

Over the span of just two weeks, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has issued announcements regarding safety violations at 18 stores operated by Dollar General Corp. and its subsidiary Dolgencorp LLC across eight separate states, with its latest concerning two Dollar General locations in Alabama and one in Florida.

Additionally, the DOL has announced violations by the discount retailer at locations in Pennsylvania, Oklahoma, Maine, North Dakota, Ohio, and Wisconsin. In every case, the DOL’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has found merchandise and other materials obstructing aisles, emergency exits, and fire extinguishers. These conditions expose employees to fire, electrical, and other hazards in violation of federal regulations.

Following the Alabama and Florida inspections, OSHA issued citations to Dollar General for a total of eight repeat violations and proposed penalties of US$1,098,292. Since 2017, the company has faced more than $21 million in fines after more than 240 inspections nationwide. In October 2022, OSHA added Dollar General and Dolgencorp to its Severe Violator Enforcement Program.

“In one workplace after another, our investigators continue to find the same hazards at Dollar General stores,” said OSHA area director Joel Batiz in Birmingham, Alabama. “The Dollar General Corp. needs to make changes to address the recurring violations before there is a tragedy.”

Based in Goodlettsville, Tennessee, Dollar General Corp. and Dolgencorp LLC operate about 19,000 stores and 28 distribution centers in 47 states and employ more than 173,000 workers. In fiscal year 2022, the company reported more than $9 billion in net sales.