If the world was completely fair, everything you wanted to buy would cost the same price as a bagel, it wouldn't ever fall apart on you, and it would have been designed and created by awesome people who were paid more-than-fair wages. In reality? You're probably going to have to cede on one or multiple parts of that equation.
And, perhaps the latest case-in-point: Forever 21. The budget-friendly mega-retailer might be in hot water with the U.S. Department of Labor because it has not provided documents it was subpoenaed for regarding its labor practices, and now the DOL is filing legal action in U.S. District Court. What the Labor Department is seeking to uncover is whether Forever 21 has complied with the Fair Labor Standard Act's minimum wage, overtime, and record-keeping laws.
Says the Labor Department's Ruben Rosalez about the importance of seeking Forever 21's records, "Since 2008, our investigators have identified dozens of manufacturers producing goods for Forever 21 under sweatshoplike conditions. When companies like Forever 21 refuse to comply with subpoenas, they demonstrate a clear disregard for the law, and the Labor Department will use all enforcement tools available to recover workers' wages and hold employers accountable." (WWD)