Company Admits 318 Violations of Child Labor Laws
Company Admits 318 Violations of Child Labor Laws Mirage News
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Australia’s Largest Distribution Network Company Pleads Guilty to Breaking Child Employment Laws
A catalogue delivery company responsible for Australia’s largest distribution network has pleaded guilty in the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court to 318 counts of breaking Victoria’s child employment laws, in a case that concerned the employment of more children than any previous child employment matter in Victoria.
Ive Distributions Pty Ltd admitted to breaking the law by employing 318 children, aged 11 to 14, without child employment permits, between 5 July and 6 September 2022.
Wage Inspectorate Victoria, the state’s child employment regulator, began investigating Ive Distributions after receiving a tip-off from a parent whose child had been offered work as an ‘independent contractor’ with the company.
In sentencing, his Honour Magistrate Gattuso noted that businesses have an obligation to make themselves aware of the laws in the jurisdictions they operate, and that Ive Distributions did not undertake due diligence in this instance.
His Honour also noted that the non-compliance was a result of ignorance rather than a deliberate flouting of the law.
Ive Distributions was placed on an undertaking to be of good behaviour for 3 years with the condition it pay $4,000 to the court fund and ordered to pay $3,000 in costs.
The matter was heard on Thursday, 4 April 2024.
Quotes attributable to Robert Hortle, Commissioner of Wage Inspectorate Victoria
- “I’m gobsmacked that a company that hired over 300 young kids as a core part of its distribution model didn’t bother to look into child employment laws. As a result, we had kids working without a proper assessment of their welfare before that employment commenced.”
- “If you’re hiring kids as young as 11, I’d like to think you’d do your due diligence and ensure you do so legally. In this instance, Ive Distributions hasn’t engaged with child employment laws despite some of the children doing the work being primary school age.”
- “This is an example of community members looking out for the wellbeing of kids. A parent whose child was offered work felt something was a little off, so they let the Wage Inspectorate know and we sprang into action and found an unprecedented number of kids employed without a permit.”
- “Luckily, in this instance, no child was harmed, but businesses shouldn’t rely on luck. Engaging with the Wage Inspectorate before employment commences is both common sense and a legal obligation.”
Background
In Victoria, a business usually needs a child employment permit or licence to employ someone under 15, whether the work is paid or voluntary. Employing a child without a permit or licence is a crime and may be penalised.
A child can deliver newspapers and advertising material from the age of 11, provided the employer holds a child employment licence or permit.
Victoria’s child employment laws help protect kids under 15 from work that could harm their health or wellbeing. It helps ensure the employer understands workplace risks and has measures in place to help keep young people safe.
It also ensures the employer knows about child employment laws relating to supervision, rest breaks and working hours.
A prosecution is the Wage Inspectorate’s most serious compliance tool and decisions to take legal action are made in line with its Compliance and Enforcement Policy.
SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
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SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
- 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.
- Indicator 8.7.1: Proportion and number of children aged 5-17 years engaged in child labor, by sex and age group (relevant for the issue of child employment without permits).
-
SDG 4: Quality Education
- 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.
- Indicator 4.4.1: Proportion of youth and adults with information and communications technology (ICT) skills, by type of skill (relevant for the issue of children being employed as independent contractors).
Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
| SDGs | Targets | Indicators |
|---|---|---|
| SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth | 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. | Indicator 8.7.1: Proportion and number of children aged 5-17 years engaged in child labor, by sex and age group (relevant for the issue of child employment without permits). |
| SDG 4: Quality Education | 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. | Indicator 4.4.1: Proportion of youth and adults with information and communications technology (ICT) skills, by type of skill (relevant for the issue of children being employed as independent contractors). |
Analysis
1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?
The issues highlighted in the article are connected to SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth and SDG 4: Quality Education.
2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?
Based on the article’s content, the specific targets identified are:
– 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.
– 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.
3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?
The article mentions two indicators that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets:
– Indicator 8.7.1: Proportion and number of children aged 5-17 years engaged in child labor, by sex and age group (relevant for the issue of child employment without permits).
– Indicator 4.4.1: Proportion of youth and adults with information and communications technology (ICT) skills, by type of skill (relevant for the issue of children being employed as independent contractors).
The article provides information about the number of children (318) employed without child employment permits, which can be used to measure progress towards Indicator 8.7.1. Additionally, the article mentions that some of the children employed were primary school age, indicating a violation of child labor laws.
The article also highlights the issue of children being employed as independent contractors, which relates to the need for relevant skills for employment. This can be measured through Indicator 4.4.1, which assesses the proportion of youth and adults with ICT skills.
Overall, the indicators mentioned in the article provide a basis for measuring progress towards the identified targets.
4. Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
| SDGs | Targets | Indicators |
|---|---|---|
| SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth | 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. | Indicator 8.7.1: Proportion and number of children aged 5-17 years engaged in child labor, by sex and age group (relevant for the issue of child employment without permits). |
| SDG 4: Quality Education | 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. | Indicator 4.4.1: Proportion of youth and adults with information and communications technology (ICT) skills, by type of skill (relevant for the issue of children being employed as independent contractors). |
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Source: miragenews.com
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