The 1997 Child Labor Coalition survey of state labor departments garnered a 46 state response.1 NCL, compiling the results for the CLC, found that limited resources and action by states translate into reduced violations found through investigation and little incentive for employers to comply with child labor laws. The following are highlights from the findings.
The state labor departments reported a total number of 8.5 compliance officers for investigating child labor compliance/violations exclusively in 46 states. For most states, child labor law enforcement is only one of many responsibilities of their investigators and as such 26 of the responding states have a total number of 10 or fewer compliance officers who are responsible for enforcing labor laws in the state. Only eight of the responding states have a total number of 25 or more compliance officers to enforce the state's labor laws.
Reflecting the decreased staff and increased workload, the breakdown on the number of inspections conducted by states in 1996 in which child labor compliance was a component was the following:
For the full chart on the survey, click here.
According to the survey, 16 percent of these inspections resulted in finding child labor violations. In total 6,229 employers were found to be in violation of child labor laws in 33 states and 7,577 minors were found to be illegally employed in 29 states. Responding states assessed $2,469,016 for child labor violations in 1996.
Children working as migrant and seasonal agricultural workers are among the least protected minors in the workplace. The lack of attention to this population of working children is staggering, given that reputable sources have estimated the number of child migrant and seasonal farmworkers at 800,000 in the United States.
Only seven of the 38 responding states conducted inspections in 1996 in which child labor compliance in agriculture was targeted. Only three of the seven conducted a significant number of inspections. In total, 31 employers were found to be in violation of child labor laws and 91 children were found illegally employed.
Eighteen of the responding states have no minimum age for children who work as migrant and seasonal farmworkers. Sixteen states have minimum age limits for children between 9 years and 12 years old.
For a copy of the Child Labor Coalition's 1997 state survey, please send your request along with $5 to NCL, 1701 K Street, NW, #1200, Washington, DC 20006.
1. FL, OH, PA, VT, and Washington, D.C. did not respond.