The Biden administration is launching a task force to more thoroughly vet U.S. sponsors of migrant children and increase efforts to investigate and prosecute cases of child exploitation in worksites across the U.S., over concerns that minors are being forced to work hazardous jobs, according to a White House announcement.
We've rounded up articles from SHRM Online and other outlets to provide more context on the news.
Under Pressure to Work
Migrant children, who have been coming into the U.S. without their parents in record numbers, make up a shadow workforce that extends across industries in every state, flouting child labor laws that have been in place for nearly a century, according to a New York Times investigation.
Violations on the Rise
The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) said it had recorded a 70 percent increase in the number of children illegally employed by companies over the past five years. The increase in unlawful child labor cases has come as the number of migrant minors entering U.S. border custody without their parents has reached record levels.
(CBS News)
Wisconsin Company Fined for Child Labor Violations
A sanitation company in Wisconsin was recently charged with violating child labor laws by employing at least 102 minors in dangerous conditions at 13 meat-processing facilities in eight states, according to a U.S. DOL investigation.
Understand Child Labor Laws
The Fair Labor Standards Act imposes federal restrictions on the employment of children and teens under the age of 18. Employers considering hiring minors must understand federal and state laws as they relate to the employment of minors.
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