DOL withdraws proposed child labor law
The Department of Labor recently backed away from proposed legislation that aimed to protect child agricultural workers from on-the-job injuries. The federal government estimates there are approximately 300,000 recorded child laborers under the age of 18 on the payroll of agricultural operators, according to Fox News. However, it's assumed that many more children are employed by the industry as farm labor contractors.
Farm work can become dangerous for children when they are expected to operate heavy machinery. According to the Child Labor Coalition, there were 16 children, 16 years or younger, who died of work-related injuries in 2011. Of those, 12 worked agriculture jobs.
The proposed rules would have further restricted the type of work children can perform on farms. Workers under 18 years of age would no longer be able to work in grain storage silos or manure pits, according to The Wall Street Journal, while those under 16 would have been prevented from using certain farm equipment, such as tractors, and barred from working higher than six feet in the air.
Opponents felt the law was too ambitious and would have devastating effects on the family-owned farms that rely on children's help. Farm owners can make sure their labor practices are in line with the FLSA's changing rules by staying actively involved or recruiting the help of payroll experts who are more familiar with legislation.
Farm work can become dangerous for children when they are expected to operate heavy machinery. According to the Child Labor Coalition, there were 16 children, 16 years or younger, who died of work-related injuries in 2011. Of those, 12 worked agriculture jobs.
The proposed rules would have further restricted the type of work children can perform on farms. Workers under 18 years of age would no longer be able to work in grain storage silos or manure pits, according to The Wall Street Journal, while those under 16 would have been prevented from using certain farm equipment, such as tractors, and barred from working higher than six feet in the air.
Opponents felt the law was too ambitious and would have devastating effects on the family-owned farms that rely on children's help. Farm owners can make sure their labor practices are in line with the FLSA's changing rules by staying actively involved or recruiting the help of payroll experts who are more familiar with legislation.
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