Congressman Daniel T. Kildee | Wikipedia
Congressman Daniel T. Kildee | Wikipedia
Illegal Child Labor Has Increased By 69 Percent Since 2018
WASHINGTON—Congressman Dan Kildee (MI-08) On April 27, 2023, introduced new legislation to hold corporations accountable for illegally employing children in the United States. His new legislation, the Combating Child Labor Act, would establish harsher civil and criminal penalties for violations of existing child labor laws and increase transparency for the American people about violations.
Disturbing reports in recent months have documented the rise in companies illegally employing children in dangerous jobs. As a result, several children have sustained serious injuries. These reports show child labor is a systemic issue in Michigan and the U.S., with children illegally making products for major corporations in the automotive, processed food and textile industries.
“Our children should be in classrooms learning, not working in dangerous factory jobs. We must do more to protect children from exploitative companies that are looking to take advantage of child labor to help pad their own corporate profits,” said Congressman Kildee. “I am proud to introduce new legislation to severely increase civil and criminal penalties on those who hire children illegally.”
Currently, the civil and criminal penalties for those who violate child labor laws fail to deter bad actors. The maximum civil penalty for routine violations is only $15,138 and there are no minimum civil penalties. For criminal penalties, after a second conviction, violators can only be fined up to $10,000 or be sentenced to up to six months in jail, or both.
Congressman Kildee’s Combating Child Labor Act would:
- For the first time, establish minimum civil penalties for violations of child labor standards and increase maximum penalties to $150,000 per violation. If the violations are found to be willful or repeated, the minimum and maximum penalties double.
- Establish minimum civil penalties for violations of child labor standards that cause death or serious injury of a minor and increase maximum penalties to $700,000. If the violations are found to be willful or repeated, the minimum and maximum penalties double.
- Establish new criminal penalties for repeat or willful violations of child labor standards for up to $100,000 and/or five years in jail. Repeat or willful violations of child labor standards that cause serious injury or death can carry a penalty of up to $500,000 and/or ten years in jail.
- Require the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) to annually submit a report to Congress, which would provide public information about what companies are directly benefiting from the illegal employment of children and help DOL understand how they can better eradicate child labor from our economy.
Congressman Kildee’s legislation is endorsed by a broad coalition of organizations committed to eradicating illegal child labor including the Child Labor Coalition, representing 39 organizations, the National Consumers League and the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union.
“The 39 members of the Child Labor Coalition and the National Consumers League, the nation’s longest-operating national consumer organization, both heartily welcome Congressman Kildee’s Combatting Child Labor Act with its significantly increased child labor fines and child labor reporting requirements. Clearly, current child labor fine levels are not sufficient to elicit the compliance of large corporations, many of which have annual revenues in the hundreds of million dollars or more. Fines must be significantly higher,” said Reid Maki, Director of Child Labor Advocacy and Coordinator for the Child Labor Coalition.
“In light of the recent news from the Department of Labor regarding child labor, it is clear that stronger penalties are needed to ensure that children do not continue to be exploited. This is why the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union endorses the Combating Child Labor Act and is proud to stand with Congressman Dan Kildee and the other cosponsors of this bill. The Combating Child Labor Act will not only get tough on the exploitation of child labor but also add more transparency on which companies are the worst violators,” said Ademola Oyefeso, Vice President and Director of Legislative and Political Action Department, UFCW International.
Congressman Kildee has been leading efforts to combat child labor in Congress. In February, Congressman Kildee sent a letter to DOL requesting increased action to address child labor in U.S. supply chains. In March, Kildee led 62 members of Congress in a second letter, urging DOL and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to take stronger enforcement actions against those who violate child labor laws.
Original source can be found here.
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