Trump would weaken child labor protections in second term, report warns

State Governments in the US Taking Steps to Eliminate Protections for Minors

Introduction

A report released on Wednesday by Governing for Impact, the Economic Policy Institute, and Child Labor Coalition reveals that state governments across the US are taking steps to eliminate protections for minors. This comes as rates of child labor violations, injuries, and chronic school absenteeism rise. The report proposes actions that the Biden-Harris administration can take to address the surge in child labor violations and the trend of rolling back state-level child labor protections.

Increasing Rates of Child Labor Violations and Injuries

Injury rates among workers under the age of 18 have nearly doubled from 2011 to 2020. Additionally, all child labor violations have almost quadrupled between 2015 and 2022, and hazard occupation violations have more than doubled during the same period.

Rollbacks of Child Labor Protections at the State Level

Legislators in more than 30 states have moved to weaken child labor protections since 2021, often citing labor shortages and receiving support from industry groups. These rollbacks at the state level have often conflicted with federal law or caused confusion among employers, leading to more child labor violations.

Project 2025 and the Threat to Child Labor Protections

The report cites Project 2025, a conservative guide for a potential second Trump administration, which advocates for rolling back child labor protections. The authors warn that if Donald Trump were to win a second term, efforts to weaken child protections would likely escalate.

Previous Attempts to Weaken Child Labor Protections

The Trump administration has previously attempted to weaken child labor protections, including efforts to weaken hazardous occupation rules for child workers in nursing homes and rolling back a ban on the pesticide chlorpyrifos, despite its links to childhood brain damage. The administration also pushed to allow child workers to apply dangerous pesticides.

Recommendations for Strengthening Child Labor Protections

The report argues that the US Department of Labor should strengthen current child labor protections to address the recent increases in child labor violations. It recommends expanding the list of hazardous occupations, increasing protections for child workers in hazardous agricultural jobs, and issuing regulations to prohibit certain work schedules and require rest breaks and days off.

Updating and Enacting Recommendations

The report suggests that the US Department of Labor should reassess and enact recommendations from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health that were declined in 2007. It also highlights the need to update regulations that protect child workers, as most have not been substantially updated since 2010.

Conclusion

In light of the ongoing efforts to weaken child labor protections, the report emphasizes the importance of strengthening federal standards to ensure the safety and well-being of child workers across the country.

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

1. SDGs 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

2. Specific Targets Based on the Article’s Content

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

3. Indicators Mentioned or Implied in the Article

• Indicator 4.4.1: Proportion of youth and adults with information and communications technology (ICT) skills, by type of skill.
• Indicator 8.7.1: Proportion and number of children aged 5-17 years engaged in child labor, by sex and age group.
• Indicator 10.7.1: Recruitment cost borne by employee as a proportion of yearly income earned in country of destination.
• Indicator 16.2.2: Number of victims of human trafficking per 100,000 population, by sex, age group, and form of exploitation.

Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: theguardian.com