Rollbacks to child labor protections are on the rise

Child Labor Legislation Rollbacks Threaten Protections for Minors

Ryan Scanlan dreads any passage of Indiana’s House Bill 1093. The new bill would remove provisions that protected children between 14 and 17 years old who work year-round. For some students in the high school English teacher’s class at North Central High School in Indianapolis, some of those provisions safeguarded them from working more than nine hours in a day and between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. 

Increasing Threat to Child Labor Protections

In January alone, eight states introduced or took new action on rolling back child labor protections by eliminating work hour time limits and minimum age restrictions. In response, advocacy groups and policy analysts are prioritizing civic engagement around an underreported pervasive issue that intersects with other public health issues. The challenge lies in cutting through the noise during election season now that 28 states have quietly introduced bills to weaken protections since 2021.

The Campaign to End U.S. Child Labor

In response to situations like Scanlan’s where child labor issues creep into public education, a new Campaign to End U.S. Child Labor emphasizes how issues surrounding minor workers are not discrete from other issues that Americans will consider during the elections. The campaign launched on Feb. 20 with a shared agenda written and signed by nonprofit organizations, trade unions, and academic institutions that work in the fields of child labor and exploitation. Recommendations include wage increases, protection of immigration statuses, and children’s right to an attorney and access to general assistance programs. 

Child Labor and Sustainable Development Goals

“If your children are working, you can’t actually achieve education for all, you will never have the health outcomes that you want, you will forever have a large segment of your population living in poverty, and you will continue to have malnutrition,” said Anjali Kochar, the executive director of the Kailash Satyarthi Children’s Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to eradicating child exploitation and advocating for the protection of children in national and international policies. “This is a cyclical problem. Child labor is not this thing that stands alone. It is so interconnected with so many issues in any country.” 

Alarming Increase in Child Labor Violations

In its announcement, the Campaign to End U.S. Child Labor cites recent alarms from the Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division, which reported an 88% increase in the number of children employed in violation of child labor laws since 2019. On Oct. 19, 2023, the division’s 740 inspectors were working on more than 800 child labor investigations. 

Immigration Restrictions and Child Labor

Many of the state-level rollbacks coincide with immigration restrictions in states like Florida, which have historically relied on migrant workers and undocumented families to source labor. According to Thomas Kennedy, an organizer with the Florida Immigrant Coalition and a child of undocumented Argentine parents, the state currently looks to minor workers as a response to a worker shortage exacerbated by Gov. Ron DeSantis’ controversial changes to immigration laws that are affecting the state’s demographics. Most recently, Florida lawmakers have been working to pass House Bill 49, which would allow employers to schedule 16- and 17-year-olds for unlimited hours and eliminate their meal and rest breaks. 

Fighting Against Rollbacks and Raising Awareness

For policy analysts, activating the American public around child labor legislation reversals comes with bringing attention to the language that bills use to seem like protections. Dustin Pugel, a policy director at Kentucky Center for Economic Policy (KCEP), points to the rapid passage of the state’s House Bill 255, which went through the state’s House of Representatives on Feb. 22, as an example of when co-opted language tricks the public into thinking that such rollbacks are positive.

Advocating for Change and Actionable Steps

As for tangible, actionable steps that Americans can take, Pugel emphasizes the democratic power that one has on a state level, especially in smaller states like Kentucky, West Virginia, and Iowa. There is power in demanding increased wages and immigration protections to keep the target off unaccompanied minors and children securing a future in America. 

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

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

• SDG 4: Quality Education
• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
• SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities
• SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions

The article discusses child labor issues and their impact on education, work conditions, inequality, and justice.

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

• SDG 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.
• SDG 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.
• SDG 10.7: Facilitate orderly, safe, regular, and responsible migration and mobility of people, including through the implementation of planned and well-managed migration policies.
• SDG 16.2: End abuse, exploitation, trafficking, and all forms of violence against and torture of children.

The article highlights the need to address child labor, improve skills for decent employment, prevent exploitation and abuse of children, and ensure safe migration policies.

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

• Number of children employed in violation of child labor laws
• Number of child labor investigations conducted by labor departments
• Number of states introducing or taking action on child labor legislation rollbacks
• Number of inspectors responsible for monitoring workplaces
• Number of organizations and institutions advocating for the end of child labor

These indicators can be used to measure progress in addressing child labor, enforcing labor laws, and promoting policies to protect children’s rights.

4. Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

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: prismreports.org

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