The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) is reminding businesses that employ workers 17 years and younger to be familiar with and adhere to federal child-labor laws as many minors seek to work more during spring and summer breaks from school.
In the March 14 statement, DOL reports in Fiscal Year 2021 (FY21), its Wage and Hour Division (WHD) investigated 117 child-labor cases in its southwest region. The investigations revealed 382 violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act involving minors; the violations resulted in nearly $300,000 in fines, WHD reports. More than 20 percent of the cases involved violations of federal hazardous-occupation orders, according to the report.
“We encourage all employers to review federal child labor laws," Betty Campbell, WHD regional administrator in Dallas, said in the statement, "use the tools the U.S. Department of Labor offers and contact us for more information."
Fines and violations in the southwest region ranged from $766 against a Louisiana restaurant for allowing a 15-year-old worker to operate a deep-fat fryer; to $24,568 in penalties against a restaurant in Salt Lake City for allowing minors to operate hazardous or prohibited equipment after an investigation into a January 2021 accident in which a minor received third-degree burns. An Edmond, Okla., employer was fined $22,000 for allowing minors to operate heavy machinery, power saws and a jack hammer while doing demolition work, which resulted in one minor being injured. Other violations included allowing minors to work more hours than legally allowed and poor record keeping, the report states.
Federal laws governing the employment of workers age 14 to 17 years regulate how many hours younger employers can work in a week. When classes are held, minors cannot work more than 3 hours per day on school days; during breaks, 14- and 15-year-olds cannot work more than 8 hours in one workday or more than 40 hours in one work week, DOL reports. A work day for a minor must be between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. No worker younger than 18 can legally work in occupations considered hazardous by the DOL, the report states.
“Jobs allow young workers to learn valuable skills – tangible and intangible – and gain real-world experience that is sure to serve them in the future," Campbell said in the report. "Employers must follow laws intended to prevent employment from interfering with the education of minor-aged workers and putting them at risk of injury."
