New bill would crack down on companies that break child labor laws
Amid a rise in the illegal use of child labor in the U.S., a group of Democratic lawmakers has introduced legislation aimed at cracking down on businesses that employ underage workers.
The Child Labor Exploitation Accountability Act, spearheaded by Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey and co-sponsored by Sen. Peter Welch of Vermont, would prohibit the U.S. Department of Agriculture from contracting with companies that have a history of "egregious labor law violations" or that utilize third-party vendors that have breached labor laws.
The bill would also require businesses competing for USDA contracts to disclose any workplace infractions by the company or its contractors in the preceding three years.
The federal agency oversees 15 federal nutrition programs including the National School Lunch program and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, for which it purchases a variety of food products. Under the proposed bill, companies with a record of labor law violations would be ineligible to participate in USDA contracts for one year.
"We must hold companies accountable if they violate labor laws and exploit workers, including vulnerable children," Booker said in a statement on Tuesday.
- McDonald's operator accused of child labor violations involving more than 100 teens
- Children illegally hired for graveyard shifts cleaning JBS meat plants, feds say
- Dunkin' franchise owner had over 1,200 child labor law violations at Mass. stores, AG says
The Department of Labor recorded a 70% increase in the number of children illegally employed by companies over the past five years, CBS News reported in February. In February the agency fined food industry company Packers Sanitation Services $1.5 million for employing more than 100 children — some as young as 13 — in dangerous jobs including cleaning "razor-sharp saws" with "caustic chemicals."
The rise in child labor cases comes as a more migrant minors enter the U.S. to escape poverty and violence. Republican lawmakers are moving to loosen child labor protections while also toughening work requirements for food-stamp recipients.
"No child should be made to do hazardous work, but as recent reporting has shown that remains all too common in the United States," Sen. Welch said in statement. "We must use every tool at our disposal to end child labor, and that's why I am proud to join Sen. Booker to introduce the Child Labor Exploitation Accountability Act and leverage the power of federal contracts to hold corporations accountable for these shameful practices."
- Food stamps already have work requirements. Now, GOP lawmakers want tougher ones.
- Iowa's Senate advances bill to loosen child labor laws
- Arkansas is rolling back child labor protections
Rep. Greg Casar, a Democrat representing Texas, plans to introduce a companion bill in the House.
"Today, we're seeing so many children — especially migrant children — forced to work unsafe, dangerous and overnight jobs by some of the biggest corporations in our country," Casar said in a statement. "It's unacceptable."