The Child Labor Laws were established to protect the working conditions of adolescents. A summary of the Federal Child Labor Laws follows. Many States have their own Child Labor Laws. If your State's laws are more protective than the Federal ones, then those apply. Make sure you know the laws of your State.

By law, employers must provide:

• A safe and healthful workplace.

• Safety and health training, in many situations, including providing information about chemicals that could be harmful to your health.

• For many jobs, payment for medical care if you get hurt or sick because of your job. You may also be entitled to lost wages.

• At least the minimum wage of $5.15/hour to most teens, after their first 90 days on the job. Many States have a higher minimum wage than the Federal wage. Lower wages may be allowed when workers receive tips from customers, provided that the tip plus the wage is equal to minimum wage. (Call your State Department of Labor listed in this guide for information on minimum wage in your State or visit http://www.dol.gov/dol/esa/public/minwage/america.htm).

  Not all teens may do all types of work. Here is a summary of the Federal laws that let you know what the restrictions are depending on the adolescent's age.

No worker under 18 may:

• Operate a forklift at any time.

• Operate many types of powered equipment like a circular saw, box crusher, meat slicer, or bakery machine.

• Work in wrecking, demolition, excavation, or roofing.

• Work in mining, logging, or a sawmill.

• Work in meat-packing or slaughtering.

• Work where there is exposure to radiation.

• Work where explosives are manufactured or stored.

• Recent changes in the law state that minors under 17 may not drive a motor vehicle; 17-year-olds may drive occasionally, if they meet certain requirements.

Also, no one 14- or 15-years-old may:

• Bake or cook on the job (except at a serving counter).

• Operate power-driven machinery (except certain types that pose little hazard such as those used in offices).

• Work on a ladder or scaffold.

• Work in warehouses.

• Work in construction, building, or manufacturing.

• Load or unload a truck, railroad car, or conveyor.

  Federal Child Labor Laws also have guidelines for the hours that a teenager may work.

For young workers between the ages of 14 and 15, work hours are as follows:

Not before 7 a.m. or after 7 p.m. between Labor Day and June 1 and not after 9 p.m. between June 1 and Labor Day.

Not during school hours

—maximum hours when school is in session are as follows:

18 hours a week, but not over:
3 hours a day on school days
8 hours a day Saturday, Sunday, and holidays

40 hours a week

8 hours a day

Federal Contacts

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)

NIOSH is part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and is the only Federal institute responsible for conducting research and making recommendations for preventing work-related illnesses and injuries. NIOSH conducts investigations and evaluates hazardous working conditions, chemicals, and/or machinery. The institute develops and disseminates information about methods for preventing disease, injury, and disability.

U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)

OSHA develops and enforces Federal regulations and standards. Many free publications and a video library are available.

U.S. National Labor Relations Board (NLRB)

The NLRB has information about employment rights and labor laws. The Board investigates complaints by workers and unions in the private sector.

U.S. Department of Labor, Employment Standards Administration, Wage and Hour Division

This office enforces the Federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) for employment in the private sector, and in State and local government. It establishes and enforces national standards for minimum wage, overtime pay, child labor, and record keeping. This office also conducts workplace investigations and gathers data on wages, hours, and other employment conditions and practices, to determine compliance with FLSA, and assesses penalties if violations are found.

U.S. Department of Labor, The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)

The BLS is the principal fact-finding agency for the Federal Government in the broad field of labor economics and statistics. The BLS is an independent national statistical agency that collects, processes, analyzes, and disseminates essential statistical data to the American public, the U.S. Congress, other Federal agencies, State and local governments, business, and labor. The BLS also serves as a statistical resource to the Department of Labor.

State Contacts

Teen Work Injury Prevention Groups

Child Labor Coalition

Many union organizations are active in issues relevant to teen workers.

AFL-CIO

The AFL-CIO's Human Resource Development Institute, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Labor, has produced a brochure for young workers about their rights under federal laws.

American Federation of Teachers (AFT)

Represents primary, secondary, and college teachers. Some of the members have developed and will share curricula and other materials about workplace and labor-related issues. The union offers a selection of child labor materials and a free child labor poster.

UNITE (Union of Needletrades, Industrial, and Textile Employees)

Textile unions which recently merged to form UNITE have been fighting U.S. sweatshop conditions since the 1900s. UNITE is concerned with the use of child labor both in this country and around the world and urges support for legislation that would bar the import of products from countries where child labor is used.

Other Useful Internet Addresses

Child Labor Coalition
http://www.essential.org/clc/

Free the Children
http://www.freethechildren.org

International Labor Organization
http://www.un.org/depts/ilowbo (Washington Office)
http://www.ilo.ch (Geneva Office)

Kids Campaign to Build A School for Iqbal
http://www.digitalrag.com/mirror/iqbal.html

School To Work
Includes resources needed to promote a safe and healthful work environment for students and young workers.
http://www.stw.ed.gov

United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF)
http://www.UNICEF.org
http://www.UNICEFUSA.org (UNICEF USA)

U.S. Congress
They have copies of Senate and House bills. You must have the bill number.
http://www.access.gpo.gov/su-docs/

U.S. Department of Labor, International Labor Affairs Bureau (ILAB)
http://www.dol.gov/dol/ilab/public/aboutilab/org/child.htm

Resources Developed by the Young Worker Projects

Safe work/safe workers: a guide for teaching high school students about occupational safety and health. Massachusetts Department of Public Health (Occupational Health Surveillance Program) and Children's Safety Network [1997].

This 3-hour curriculum is designed to raise awareness among young people about workplace safety and health and injury prevention and includes a 13-minute videotape entitled Teens: The Hazards We Face in the Workplace. Contact the Education Development Center, Sewickley, PA: 1-800-793-5076.

Teens, work, and safety: a curriculum for high school students. University of California, Berkeley Labor Occupational Health Program (LOHP) [1998].

This curriculum covers basic safety and health information that can be used in either an academic or vocational setting. It is subject-specific and includes units in general safety, English, science and U.S. Government; it also includes a 12-minute video. Contact the LOHP, Center for Occupational and Environmental Health, University of California, Berkeley, CA: 510-642-5507.

Safe jobs for youth. UCLA Labor Occupational Safety and Health (LOSH) Program [1998].

This curriculum includes lesson plans about laws, hazards, sexual harassment, and child labor. It is appropriate for students with limited English proficiency. It includes a 12-minute videotape entitled Your Work: Keepin' It Safe (1997) that illustrates the rights and responsibilities of young workers. The video covers safety and health hazards in fast food, construction, and grocery stores, shows teens teaching teens, and can be used alone or with the curricula. Contact UCLA LOSH, Los Angeles, CA: 310-794-5964.

Other Curricula

American Lung Association [1993]. Future workers' education project: units for auto body and repair, health occupations, and welding. New York: American Lung Association.

These are flexible and easy-to-use programs for teaching students how to protect their health in the workplace. Additional units concerning agriculture, carpentry, and woodworking are in process. Contact the American Lung Association, State of Washington. 1-800-732-9339. (The cost is only $5.00 to cover shipping and handling). http:\www.alaw@alaw.org

California Federation of Teachers (CFT) has a 12-page listing of additional resources, Bringing Labor into the K-12 Curriculum.

To get a free copy, contact the CFT Labor in the Schools Committee. The CFT is also developing Golden Lands, Working Hands, a series of curricula about the history of the California labor movement. (510) 832-8812.

California Occupational Health Program, Labor Occupational Health Program, and American Lung Association [1992]. Toxics on the job: Protecting your health. A curriculum for teaching workers about toxics and tobacco.

For vocational education instructors. Includes 4 units with trade-specific pamphlets for welders, machinists, auto repair workers, and construction workers. Also includes a general handbook for students in other trades. Contact the Labor Occupational Health Program (LOHP), University of California at Berkeley. 510-642-5507.

Council for Citizenship Education [1992]. The working teenager: A teacher's guide for secondary education (2nd ed.).

Includes 5 lessons on workers' rights, laws affecting working teens, unemployment benefits, and workers' compensation. Includes a quiz for the working teenager. Contact the Council for Citizenship Education, Russell Sage College, Troy, NY. 518-270-2363.

North American Guidelines for Children's Agricultural Tasks

Guidelines which match a child's abilities with specific agricultural tasks. Details are available on 62 different farm jobs commonly performed by children and adolescents. To order a Professional Resource Manual or the Parent Collection of Illustrated Guidelines, contact: Gempler's, Inc. Ph: 1-800-382-8473 or at www.gemplers.com or visit the North American Guidelines Internet site at www.nagcat.org.

Videos

Danger: Kids at Work

Shows graphic footage of child labor violations in the garment industry, agriculture, and fast food restaurants. Emphasizes the need for better child labor law enforcement. 15 minutes. Contact the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment Standards Administration, Wage and Hour Division, San Francisco, CA. (415) 744-5590.

Teens: The Hazards We Face in the Workplace

Features teens who introduce the basics of job safety and health and injury prevention. Part of a high school curriculum (Safe Work/ Safe Workers). Produced by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and the Children's' Safety Network. 13 minutes, $35.00 (includes curriculum). Order from Education Development Center, Sewickley, PA. 1-800-793-5076.

Transit Tech

Shows New York high school students working with unions, teachers, and the transit authority to develop a new career focus. 17 minutes, $89.00. Reduced price on multiple orders. Order from the We Do the Work, Oakland, CA. (510) 268-WORK. (A lesson plan is also available.)

When Children Do the Work

Show conditions facing young workers around the world who produce high-end products for U.S. consumers. 30 minutes, $89.00. Reduced price on multiple orders. Order from We Do the Work, Oakland, CA. (510) 268-WORK. (A lesson plan is also available.)

Zoned for Slavery

Shows how young people labor in factories along the U.S./Mexican Border and in Latin America to produce trendy clothing for U.S. companies. Youth discuss the hazards they experience every day, from 15-hour work shifts to mandatory birth control. 23 minutes. To order or for more information, call National Labor Committee, New York, NY. (212) 242-3002.

For a catalog that lists over 40 educational videos on workplace issues (which include lesson plans), contact the producers of the public television series "Working in America" at We Do the Work, Oakland, CA. (510) 268-WORK.

Reports and Books

American Youth Work Center and National Consumers League [1990]. Working America's children to death: reported child labor violations. Washington, DC: AYWC.

This report analyzes the types of work and locations where youth get hurt and discusses the needs for child labor laws and government oversight. Contact the American Youth Work Center, Washington, DC: (202) 785-0764.

Bequele A, Myers WE [1995]. First things first in child labor: eliminating work detrimental to children. Washington, DC: ILO, Washington Branch. An overview of child labor throughout the world.

This document includes information concerning intervention, legislative action, enforcement, and public education campaigns. Contact the International Labor Organization (ILO), Washington Branch, Washington, DC: (202) 653-7652.

Beyer D [1995]. Understanding and applying child labor laws to today's school-to-work transition programs. Berkeley, CA: National Center for Research in Vocational Education.

This document explains the basics of child labor law at the Federal and State levels and lists whom to contact at each State Department of Labor concerning local laws. Contact the National Center for Research in Vocational Education (NCRVE), University of California at Berkeley: 1-800-762-4093.

Bush D, Baker R [1994]. Young workers at risk: safety and health education and the schools. Berkeley, CA:, University of California, Labor Occupational Health Program.

This report describes the Young Workers at Risk project, which collected information and data about the risk of injuries, illnesses, and fatalities among young workers. The report also makes recommendations for Cal/OSHA concerning the best way to educate California's youth about workplace health and safety issues. Contact the Labor Occupational Health Program, University of California at Berkeley: (510) 642-5507.

Child Labor Coalition [1992]. Model state child labor law. Washington, DC: National Consumers League.

This is a guide for States to use as they update and strengthen child labor laws. Contact the National Consumers League, Washington, DC: (202) 885-3323.

Children's Safety Network Rural Injury Prevention Resource Center [1994]. Prevention of injury in children of migrant and seasonal farm laborers: a resource list. Marshfield, WI: Marshfield Clinic.

This document lists materials and videos about agricultural safety, general childhood injury prevention, maternal and child health, and agricultural chemicals. Availability in Spanish is indicated. Contact the Marshfield Clinic, National Farm Medicine Center, Marshfield, WI: (715) 389-4999.

Frase BS, Charner I, Rose KL, Hubbard S, Menzel S [1994]. Minor laws of major importance: A guide to federal and state child labor laws. Washington, DC: National Institute for Work and Learning, Academy for Educational Development.

This booklet was developed for the Office of Educational Research and Improvement, U.S. Department of Education, and contains synopses of the Federal child labor laws and State laws applying to ages, hours, and occupations. Contacts in each State for more information about State labor regulations are listed. Contact the National Institute for Work and Learning, Academy for Educational Development, Washington, DC: (202) 884-8000.

Freedman R [1994]. Kids at work: Lewis Hine and the crusade against child labor. New York: Clarion Books.

This historical document uses photographs by Lewis Hine to portray child labor in the United States' fields and factories.

Institute of Medicine [1998]. Protecting youth at work. Washington, DC: National Academy Press.

This book provides a historical perspective about working children and adolescents in the United States and explores the framework of child labor laws that govern that work. It presents a wide range of data and analysis about the scope of youth employment, factors that put youth at risk, and the positive and negative effects of employment.

NIOSH [1995]. NIOSH Alert: preventing deaths and injuries of adolescent workers. Cincinnati, OH: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 95-125.

This document summarizes risks and hazard to adolescent workers and contains recommendations to employers, parents, educators, and adolescents.

Parker D [1998]. Stolen dreams: portraits of working children. Minneapolis, MN: Lerner Publications Company.

This book contains photographs of children in a variety of occupational settings in the United States, Mexico, Thailand, Nepal, Bangledash, Turkey, Morocco, Indonesia, and India. It discusses the children's susceptibility to illnesses and injuries associated with occupational hazards.

U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of International Labor Affairs [1994]. By the sweat and toil of children: the use of child labor in American imports. A report of the Committee on Appropriations, United States Congress.

This document examines child labor in 19 developing countries that import goods to the United States, including types of industries, economic conditions, and other factors.

The U.S. General Accounting Office reports on child labor issues include the following:

Occupational safety and health: assuring accuracy in employer injury and illness records [December, 1998]. Report No. GAO/HRD 89-23.

Sweatshops in New York City: a local example of a nationwide problem [June 1989]. Report No. GAO/HRD 89-101 BR.

Child labor violations and sweatshops in the U.S. [March 1990]. Report No. GAO/T-HRD-90-18.

Child labor: increases in detected child labor violations throughout the United States [April 1990]. Report No. GAO/HRD 90-116.

Child labor: characteristics of working children [June 1991]. Report No. GAO/ HRD-91-83BR.

Labor's child labor enforcement efforts: developments after Operation Child Watch [August 1991]. Report No. GAO/T-HRD-91-44.

Child labor: work permit and death and injury reporting systems in selected States [March 1992]. Report No. GAO/HRD-92-44FS.

Child labor: information on Federal enforcement efforts [June 1992]. Report No. GAO/HRD-92-127FS.

Washington State Department of Labor and Industries [1990]. Protecting children in the workplace. Olympia, WA: Employment Standards, Apprenticeship and Crime Victims Compensations Division, Washington Department of Labor and Industries.

This brief report describes State investigations of 395 non-agricultural worker compensation claims by minors over a one-year period. More than 44 percent of the employers involved were in violation of child labor laws.

Washington State Department of Labor and Industries [1992]. Child Labor Advisory Committee final report: recommended changes to Washington State and nonagricultural child labor rules. Olympia, WA: Employment Standards Program, Washington Department of Labor and Industries.

This report contains recommendations and rationale regarding hours of work, related variance issues, and prohibited duties for minors in Washington State.

For information about other occupational safety and health concerns,

Call NIOSH at
1-800-35-NIOSH (1-800-356-4674)
Fax number: (513) 533-8573
E-mail: pubstaft@cdc.gov
or visit the NIOSH Web site at www.cdc.gov/niosh.

Delivering on the Nation's promise:
Safety and health at work for all people
through research and prevention

DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 99-141

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Public Health Service Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health