Jon and Kate Plus Child Labor?

by Amanda Kloer · 2009-05-30 09:00:00 UTC
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Jon and Kate Gosselin, stars of the TLC reality series Jon and Kate Plus 8 have seemingly spent more time in the tabloids these past two months than Brittany Spears has during her whole career.  And in addition to their reported relationship troubles, they have hit another snag:  The Pennsylvania Department of Labor is investigating them for child labor violations.

Jon and Kate Plus 8 centers around the couple, their 8-year-old twin girls, and their 5-year-old sextuplets.  According to the Pennsylvania DOL, they received a complaint that the Gosselins and the TLC producers were not properly complying with child labor laws.  However, DOL made point to mention that the investigation is still open, and just because there is a complaint doesn't mean Jon and Kate and TLC have done anything wrong.

Investigators will have to decide whether the Gosselins' house in southeastern Pennsylvania is essentially a TV set where producers direct much of the action _ in which case the law may apply _ or a home where the kids aren't really working but are simply living their lives, albeit in front of the cameras.

Personally and based on the evidence I've seen, I don't think that the Gosselins are doing anything to intentionally harm their children.  This investigation is based on an administrative question- whether or not the children being filmed can be dubbed as "working".  If this is truly the reality show it claims to be, the cameras are really just documenting the kids, not employing them.  My hope and belief is that even if Jon and Kate have made some mistakes as people and as parents, they keep the best interest of their children in the forefront and are not forcing them to work.

Image from urbanhonking.com

Amanda Kloer is a Change.org Editor and has been a full-time abolitionist in several capacities for seven years. Follow her on Twitter @endhumantraffic
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