Well, the alternative is to fight it in court.

It’s part of getting a traffic ticket. Agree, confess, mail your check to the judge. Or take time off to show up and contest it.

You've never heard of a consent decree or plea bargain? They're common legal tools to avoid lengthy and expensive trials.

The child labour fees plus the fine probably works out cheaper than employing off legal working age workers, so it isn’t really a fine.