Recent analysis shows that over the past 10 years child labor violations across the U.S. have tripled, reports the Washington Post. Investigators have uncovered an uptick in labor violations in standard work for teens, like fast food-restaurants and other service industries. Multiple instances of minors working in dangerous jobs that federal law prohibits, like meatpacking, manufacturing, and construction, have also been uncovered at increasing rates. Despite that, at least 16 states have one or more bills to weaken their child labor laws. What’s going on?

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While most states have tougher laws than the federal rules, some Republican lawmakers seek to undo those restrictions in their state. These lawmakers are backed in their efforts by restaurant, liquor, and home builders’ associations, who stand to benefit from an expanded low-wage worker pool if the changes pass. Protection stripping legislation for six states was drafted or lobbied for by Florida-based lobbying group, the Foundation for Government Accountability, which fights to promote conservative interests like restricting access to anti-poverty programs. There are some states, like Colorado and Virginia, fighting the trend and enacting legislation to dial up penalties for violations. Rep. Sheila Lieder (D) introduced a bill in Colorado to raise the fines for violators saying that at $20 per offense, the current penalties were not high enough to effectively dissuade employers from violating child labor laws.

The fight continues: U.S. states loosen child labor laws as violations keep soaring

I thought that it was “woke” Democrats trying to destroy the family? /s

Related:

Foundation for Government Accountability:

The Foundation for Government Accountability, and its lobbying arm the Opportunity Solutions Project, have backed several bills to expand child labor in Arkansas, Iowa, and Missouri. In Arkansas, Republican Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, who recently signed a law that would loosen many restrictions on child labor, is quoted saying the legislation “came to me from the Foundation [for] Government Accountability.” The law itself “eliminates the requirement for children under 16 to show documentation of their age before being able to work, making it easier for employers to violate child labor laws and illegally employ and exploit immigrant children.” These new laws are especially concerning for the American public as “the Labor Department has noted a nearly 70 percent increase in cases of illegal child labor.”

Opportunity Solutions Project:

The Opportunity Solutions Project is connected to the American Legislative Exchange Council, the Cato Institute, the Franklin News Foundation, the Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation, Maine Heritage Policy Center, and the State Policy Network through its partner organization, Foundation for Government Accountability. (Visit FGA’sg page for more detailed information.)

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