League Central America

The WRC conducted an assessment of compliance with labor rights standards at League Central America (LCA), a garment factory located El Salvador that is owned and operated by the U.S. apparel brand known as League Collegiate Wear, Inc. 

The assessment found violations of Salvadoran law in the following areas:

Wages and Hours of Work. The WRC found that worker participation in factory-organized educational programs resulted in violations of wage and hour law. LCA workers were required to be at the factory every day for an extra half an hour, unpaid, in order to participate in mandatory English classes offered at the factory. Secondly, many workers were pressured by management to participate in literacy, high school, or university education programs. The workers were unable to decline participation without fear of losing their jobs or suffering other adverse consequences. The programs required substantial time commitments outside of regular work hours and, in the case of the university program, significant economic cost to workers. The WRC recommended discontinuation of any obligation to participate in educational programs as well as back pay compensation for the requirement to participate in the past.

Religious Freedom. The WRC found that all workers were required to attend denominational morning prayers, led by factory management, on a daily basis and recommended that the prayers be discontinued.

Verbal Harassment and Abuse. The WRC documented incidents of verbal harassment and abuse by factory supervisors and managers and recommended the factory take actions to change the use of verbal abuse at the factory.

Discrimination against Workers Who Are Members of the LGBTQ Community. The WRC found incidents of discrimination against LGBTQ workers by factory supervisors and managers, including discriminatory remarks and cases in which workers had been fired because of their sexual orientation. The WRC recommended that the factory take steps to eliminate the discrimination and that LCA reinstate the fired workers with payments of back pay.

Occupational Health and Safety. In a limited review of health and safety conditions, the WRC found only one area of non-compliance concerning excessive ambient temperatures. The WRC recommended that the factory take steps to lower the factory temperature.

In December 2018, League committed to addressing the problems identified in the WRC’s investigation and offered a comprehensive remediation plan that, if fully implemented, remedies all breaches of applicable standards and brings the company into compliance with Salvadoran law and university labor codes.

The WRC will continue to monitor compliance with labor rights standards at LCA.

Read More:

• WRC Report on League Central America (El Salvador) – March 8, 2019, updated with annex February 2020