U.S. Cracks Down on Child Labor in America

Child labor is often thought of as something that happens way over in China or India, but in reality, it's as American as berry farms, meat-processing plants, and factories. Children are exploited in those places and a number of other industries here in the United States. Fortunately, the U.S. Department of Labor is cracking down on the use of illegal child labor on farms and in plants and factories across the country.

Earlier this month, the Department of Labor announced stiffer penalties for people who employ children illegally. Anyone caught employing kids ages 12 or 13 will have to pay at least $6,000 per violation. Kids under 12 earn employers a fine of at least $8,000. The new regulations also have increased protections for children who work on farms, one of the most vulnerable populations of child workers in the U.S. This includes restricting all children under 16 on farms from doing hazardous work or working during school hours.

At the same time, DOL has launched a task force to investigate child labor violations in Alabama and Mississippi. In the past, similar violations have involved minors working long hours, performing dangerous tasks, or being denied overtime pay. The focus of the investigation will actually not be on farm work, but rather on retail stores, restaurants, and construction companies. A restaurant in Alabama may seem worlds different from a brick kiln in India, but the common thread of child labor runs through both of them.

It's hard to think that even here in America, children are sometimes exploited in making what we eat, wear, and use every day. But holding employers who abuse children accountable and investigating claims of child labor violations are the first step towards making child labor something that just doesn't happen in the U.S.A.

Photo credit: Siddy Lam