Department of Labor, Interagency Task Force announce recent actions to combat exploitative child labor with new partnerships, innovative tactics, ramped up enforcement

U.S. Department of Labor Takes Action to Combat Child Labor Exploitation

The U.S. Department of Labor and its partners from the Interagency Task Force to Combat Child Labor Exploitation have recently taken significant actions to hold companies accountable for violating federal child labor laws.

The update follows the department’s February 2023 announcement of the task force’s formation, which applies a whole-of-government approach to enhance federal efforts to protect children from exploitative situations following a 69 percent increase in findings of illegal child labor between 2018 and 2022.

Emphasis on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

The U.S. Department of Labor and its partners are committed to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set by the United Nations. The actions taken by the department align with several SDGs, including:

1. Goal 4: Quality Education
2. Goal 5: Gender Equality
3. Goal 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
4. Goal 10: Reduced Inequalities
5. Goal 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions

Actions Taken to Combat Child Labor Exploitation

• Increasing focus on vigorously enforcing federal law and holding employers accountable:

  • The department’s Wage and Hour Division has significantly enhanced child labor enforcement efforts. Between Oct. 1, 2022 and July 20, 2023, the agency concluded 765 child labor cases finding 4,474 children employed in violation of federal child labor laws and assessed employers with more than $6.6 million in penalties. These cases reflect a 44 percent increase in children found employed in violation of federal law and an 87 percent increase in penalties assessed from the same time period in the previous fiscal year. In addition, the agency is currently pursuing more than 700 open child labor cases. This enforcement data demonstrates the department’s commitment to identifying and addressing child labor violations more aggressively than ever before.
  • On May 2, 2023, the department announced findings that three businesses operating 62 McDonald’s locations across Kentucky, Indiana, Maryland, and Ohio had employed 305 children to work more than the legally permitted hours and perform tasks prohibited by law for young workers. In all, the investigations led to assessments of $212,544 in civil money penalties against the employers. Earlier this week, the department announced that 16 McDonald’s franchise locations in Louisiana and Texas have found child labor violations affecting 83 minors. The division determined one franchisee allowed three children to operate manual deep fryers, a task prohibited for employees under age 16. The department assessed more than $77,500 in civil money penalties to two McDonald’s franchisees for its violations.
  • On July 7, 2023, the department announced that it had invoked the Fair Labor Standards Act “hot goods” provision to prevent shipment of goods produced using illegal child labor after finding two teenagers employed in violation of child labor laws at a Minnesota meat snack manufacturer.
  • The department found that the operator of six Nevada Sonic Drive-In locations illegally employed 14- and 15-year-old teenagers to work more hours and at times not permitted by federal child labor regulations, assigned them to operate manual deep fryers, and had committed more than 170 violations of the child labor provisions of the FLSA.

• Emphasizing cross-training to ensure that every agency has the necessary skills to identify and report possible incidences of child labor exploitation:

  • Partner agencies have intensified information-sharing and cross-training to ensure agencies across the federal government understand child labor exploitation and the Biden-Harris administration’s efforts to address it.
  • The departments of Labor and Health and Human Services successfully collaborated on cross-training initiatives for over 780 Office of Refugee Resettlement staff and over 250 Wage and Hour Division managers related to the eradication of illegal child labor. Building on the success of these trainings, the departments are broadening their scope to provide trainings in July and August for other programs and HHS’ national network where there may be overlapping interest between labor exploitation and the populations that HHS serves daily, including homeless and runaway youth programs and state child welfare agencies.
  • On June 12, 2023, HHS’ Administration for Children and Families marked World Day Against Child Labor with a training for nearly 400 ACF staff to help them identify possible instances of child labor exploitation in their day-to-day work with grantees and external partners throughout the country.
  • In addition to collaborating closely with the agencies participating in the task force, the Department of Labor has engaged with other departments and organizations on how to identify, prevent, and report child labor exploitation.

• Updating and creating new materials to ensure partners, employers, and the general public are armed with the information needed to prevent child labor violations:

  • The Wage and Hour Division has updated its child labor website and additional resources to clarify and streamline information for children, parents, employers, and educators about federal child labor laws, including providing clear information about dangerous and prohibited jobs and explaining ways to provide positive and safe work experiences for teens.
  • The departments of Labor and Health and Human Services are developing shareable, easily accessible “Know Your Rights” videos in multiple languages to promote understanding of labor law for youth-specific audiences.
  • The Department of Homeland Security is identifying opportunities to share resources and engage key state and local partners and public stakeholders on federal labor law and efforts to combat child labor exploitation.
  • The Department of Education is sharing information through newsletters, websites, and social media to ensure that education stakeholders have a greater understanding about the issue and can further inform young people and families about their rights.

• Pursuing innovative partnerships and avenues to engage every facet of the federal government:

  • The departments of Labor and State have briefed ambassadors and embassy leadership from Colombia, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico on efforts to combat exploitative child labor in the U.S., including of migrant children. The agencies continue to share resources and tools with consulates to further educate migrant communities.
  • The Department of Health and Human Services’ National Human Trafficking Prevention Summit expanded specific sessions and workshops to include child labor exploitation and the impact on youth and their communities for this year’s program.
  • In April

    SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

    SDGs	Targets	Indicators
    SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth	8.7: Take immediate and effective measures to eradicate forced labor, end modern slavery and human trafficking, and secure the prohibition and elimination of the worst forms of child labor, including recruitment and use of child soldiers, and by 2025 end child labor in all its forms.	– Number of child labor cases identified and resolved – Penalties assessed against employers for child labor violations – Number of open child labor cases
    SDG 4: Quality Education	4.4: By 2030, substantially increase the number of youth and adults who have relevant skills, including technical and vocational skills, for employment, decent jobs, and entrepreneurship.	– Number of cross-training initiatives between agencies to address child labor exploitation – Number of trainings provided to education stakeholders on child labor exploitation
    SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions	16.2: End abuse, exploitation, trafficking, and all forms of violence against and torture of children.	– Number of child labor cases involving abuse or exploitation – Number of penalties assessed against employers for child labor violations related to abuse or exploitation

    1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

    SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

    The article addresses the issue of child labor exploitation and the efforts to eradicate it, which aligns with SDG 8’s target of eradicating forced labor and child labor by 2025.

    SDG 4: Quality Education

    The article mentions cross-training initiatives and trainings provided to education stakeholders to address child labor exploitation, which relates to SDG 4’s target of increasing the number of youth and adults with relevant skills for employment.

    SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions

    The article discusses efforts to end abuse, exploitation, and violence against children, which aligns with SDG 16’s target of ending all forms of violence against children.

    2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

    – Target 8.7: Take immediate and effective measures to eradicate forced labor, end modern slavery and human trafficking, and secure the prohibition and elimination of the worst forms of child labor, including recruitment and use of child soldiers, and by 2025 end child labor in all its forms.

    – Target 4.4: By 2030, substantially increase the number of youth and adults who have relevant skills, including technical and vocational skills, for employment, decent jobs, and entrepreneurship.

    – Target 16.2: End abuse, exploitation, trafficking, and all forms of violence against and torture of children.

    3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

    – Number of child labor cases identified and resolved

    – Penalties assessed against employers for child labor violations

    – Number of open child labor cases

    – Number of cross-training initiatives between agencies to address child labor exploitation

    – Number of trainings provided to education stakeholders on child labor exploitation

    – Number of child labor cases involving abuse or exploitation

    – Number of penalties assessed against employers for child labor violations related to abuse or exploitation

    These indicators can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets by tracking the number of child labor cases, penalties assessed, and the implementation of cross-training initiatives and trainings. They provide quantitative data on the efforts to eradicate child labor and address abuse and exploitation.

    4. SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

    SDGs	Targets	Indicators
    SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth	8.7: Take immediate and effective measures to eradicate forced labor, end modern slavery and human trafficking, and secure the prohibition and elimination of the worst forms of child labor, including recruitment and use of child soldiers, and by 2025 end child labor in all its forms.	– Number of child labor cases identified and resolved – Penalties assessed against employers for child labor violations – Number of open child labor cases
    SDG 4: Quality Education	4.4: By 2030, substantially increase the number of youth and adults who have relevant skills, including technical and vocational skills, for employment, decent jobs, and entrepreneurship.	– Number of cross-training initiatives between agencies to address child labor exploitation – Number of trainings provided to education stakeholders on child labor exploitation
    SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions	16.2: End abuse, exploitation, trafficking, and all forms of violence against and torture of children.	– Number of child labor cases involving abuse or exploitation – Number of penalties assessed against employers for child labor violations related to abuse or exploitation

    Behold! This splendid article springs forth from the wellspring of knowledge, shaped by a wondrous proprietary AI technology that delved into a vast ocean of data, illuminating the path towards the Sustainable Development Goals. Remember that all rights are reserved by SDG Investors LLC, empowering us to champion progress together.

    Source: dol.gov

     

    

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