While child-labor permits should have been obtained for the Gosselin children for appearing on Jon & Kate Plus 8, neither the family, TLC nor the show's producers will face legal action for failing to do so.
ADVERTISEMENT
The Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry ruled that legal action will not be taken as long as at least 15 percent of the gross proceeds from the former reality series are put into a trust fund for Jon and Kate Gosselin's eight children and child-labor permits are obtained for any future filming, The Associated Press reported Wednesday.
The ruling was made last month in a letter signed by a government attorney and sent to Jon & Kate Plus 8's Figure 8 Films production company and Discovery Talent Services.
"It's important to note that we did an investigation and we made sure the children were not in any danger or endangered as a result of the work they were doing," Labor & Industry press secretary Troy Thompson told The AP.
During the investigation -- which launched last May -- the regulators determined the Gosselin children were employed under Pennsylvania's Child Labor Law because of the direction they sometimes received, their continued participation in the series and due to the fact the family and others were paid for the show, according to The AP.
ADVERTISEMENT
"Kate and I were doing what was best for our family," wrote Jon in a Wednesday post to his Twitter account. "And it gave us an opportunity to spend quality family time together."
The 15 percent of the gross proceeds must be placed in trust funds for the children until the reach the age of 18 unless it is needed for their safety, education, welfare or health, The AP reported.
Discovery and TLC spokeswoman Laurie Goldberg told The AP the trust was established in November and that the amount placed in it exceeds the minimum 15 percent.
In addition, Goldberg maintained the network is not required to obtain permits under state law but still agreed to do so, according to The AP, which added Figure 8 Films declined comment.
Also on Wednesday, Kate's brother Kevin Kreider and his wife Jodi testified at a Pennsylvania state legislative hearing on child labor laws -- with Kevin claiming the show caused potential "psychological damage" to the kids.
About The Author: Christopher Rocchio