Ross Stores Agrees to Pay $3.9 Million Civil Penalty

Ross Stores Inc. has agreed to pay a $3.9 million civil penalty to settle charges it broke federal law by not reporting it was selling children’s clothing with drawstrings.

According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, which provisionally has accepted the penalty agreement, the settlement resolves charges Ross knowingly failed to immediately report to the CPSC that it sold, or held for sale, about 23,000 children’s outerwear with drawstrings at the neck or waist from January 2009 to February 2012.

In addition to paying the penalty, Ross also agreed to implement measures to help it comply with CPSC requirements, in addition to its existing compliance policies.