The four Western Hockey League teams based in Washington state and the league itself have been advised by the states department of labour and industries that an investigative team will expand a probe of major junior hockey to see whether teams have violated child labour laws. Authentic Braden Smith Jersey . TSN has learned the teams and the WHL were told this week that the states attorney general has recommended a year-long investigation continue. Earlier this fall, Matt Erlich, a spokesman for the Washington Department of Labour and Industries, said his department had asked the attorney general for advice about whether to continue the investigation. In 2013, the department received a complaint about how much money the players were paid in relation to the time they worked. The allegation claimed players receive less than the states minimum wage. Four Washington WHL teams are being investigated: Seattle, Everett, Tri-Cities, and Spokane. Erlich said the complaint came from within the state. Now that the attorney general has recommended widening the probe, at least three investigators have been assigned to the case. They will conduct in-person interviews with WHL players and team staff and ask for written documentation in the coming months to see if there has been a violation of the industrial welfare act, Erlich told TSN. Most players in the WHL are teenagers and stay with host families during the season. The teams provide the room and board and a promise of university scholarships after their playing careers, so long as they dont go on to long careers in pro hockey. According to a recent lawsuit filed against the WHL and its parent Canadian Hockey League, the for-profit league has paid some players as little as $50 a week. Unifor, a union that wants to organize junior players, says players work about 1,000 hours during the course of the season. In Washington state, where the minimum wage is $9.32 an hour, that would mean each player should receive at least $9,320. WHL Commissioner Ron Robinson defending the league structure in an earlier statement. The Western Hockey League (WHL) Member Clubs in Washington are aware that the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries has been taking a look at junior hockey with regard to the status of our amateur players. Our WHL Clubs in Washington have responded to the government, providing requested information and explaining that our players are student athletes playing in a developmental hockey league, and participating in and contributing to their sport the same way as other amateur athletes. We are advised by the Department that..no decision has been reached in the matter. Amateur hockey players have competed within the WHL in the State of Washington since 1977. The WHL certainly recognizes that undoubtedly any changes to the status of junior hockey players could impact the status of other amateur athletes in the state as well. Erlich said his department could ultimately impose civil and criminal penalties. TSN couldnt immediately reach the CHL and WHL for comment. Whoelsale Colts Jerseys . The 30-year-old Kottaras served as Kansas Citys backup catcher last season after being claimed off waivers from Oakland in January. Authentic Darius Leonard Jersey . The (35-35-10) Jets have 80 points and are also playing .500 hockey on home ice this season with a 17-17-6 record. Michael Hutchinson will start his second straight game in goal. http://www.cheapcoltsjerseysauthentic.com/ . Neither made it that far in 2013. Not even close. Federer lost his second match at the All England Club. Nadal exited in the first round, a year after bowing out in the second.The Minnesota Vikings have had a change of heart. Adrian Peterson has been suspended indefinitely after the team placed him on the Commissioners Exemption List. Peterson will not be allowed around the team in any capacity until the legal proceedings have been resolved. This is a reversal of the teams previous decision, where it announced Peterson was being reactivated for this Sundays game against the New Orleans Saints. Section 17.14(a) of the NFL Constitution and Bylaws provides that the "Exemption list is a special player status available to clubs only in unusual circumstances". The same Policy also indicates that "any request must be sent to the Commissioner", should "include complete facts and reasons" to support the request and that "only the Commissioner has the authority to place a player on the Exemption List". Getting the league to put a player on this list is a big deal. Indeed, a team needs to show "unusual circumstances", which at law means a high standard. This can be very tough to meet. This makes sense. If the league could impose this type of sweeping discipline on a player at will, it would likely do so more often. By requiring "unusual circumstances", the power of the league is appropriately narrowed. The Exemption List has been used in the past by the NFL. After serving his Bounty Gate suspension, Jonathan Vilma wasnt ready to return and was able to get himself on the Exemption List. As well, Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Jeff Demps was placed on the list when he wanted to pursue a track career. Michael Vick was also subject to this exemption after being released from prison and signing with the Eagles. In each of these cases, the assumption is that the player consented to the exemption, or frankly sought it out. The case of Peterson, though, is a bit different. Authentic Matthew Adams Jersey. As per the NFL CBA, the Vikings could only suspend or deactivate Peterson for a maximum of four games. Apart from that, it had the option of cutting Peterson or playing him. The NFL also could have suspended Peterson under its Personal Conduct Policy (which incidentally now incorporates the new domestic violence and assault guidelines), but that suspension would have likely been limited in duration and would have expired before the legal case was resolved. If the NFL attempted to suspend Peterson for the entire season, it would have been hit with a grievance by the NFLPA. So the league and Vikings needed to find a way to suspend Peterson indefinitely without risking a grievance or even a potential lawsuit. And thats when it turned to the Commissioners Exemption List. However, given the high standard that had to be met in order to unilaterally place a player on the Exemption List, it would have made good sense to secure Petersons consent to the indefinite suspension. Without it, the NFL would have once again risked a grievance being filed by the NFLPA resulting in the story continuing to loom over the league. How do you gain consent in a case like this? Money. For this reason, it was not a surprise to learn this morning that Peterson was being suspended indefinitely with pay. This means that Peterson consented to the suspension. The NFLPA confirmed this when it said that "Adrian Peterson made a decision to take a voluntary leave with pay to take care of his personal and legal issues." So Peterson is now suspended until the legal proceedings are resolved. With a likely Court date in early 2015, it seems probable that Peterson will not return this season. He could try and cut a deal with the prosecution, although that could take time. Cheap Diamondbacks Jerseys Cheap Braves Jerseys Cheap Orioles Jerseys Cheap Red Sox Jerseys Cheap Cubs Jerseys Cheap White Sox Jerseys Cheap Reds Jerseys Cheap Indians Jerseys Cheap Rockies Jerseys Cheap Tigers Jerseys Cheap Astros Jerseys Cheap Royals Jerseys Cheap Angels Jerseys Cheap Dodgers Jerseys Cheap Marlins Jerseys ' ' '