Warning
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Warning
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Simple English definitions for legal terms
child labor
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A quick definition of child labor:
Child labor is when children are made to work before they are old enough. This can be very dangerous and harmful to their health, safety, and morals. It includes things like working in factories, being sold or trafficked, being forced to work, and being used for bad things like prostitution or drug trafficking. It is against the law to make children work in certain jobs or before a certain age. If someone breaks this law, they can be fined a lot of money.
A more thorough explanation:
Child labor refers to the employment of workers who are under the age of majority. This term is often used to describe abusive practices such as:
- Exploitative factory work
- Slavery, sale, and trafficking in children
- Forced or compulsory labor such as debt bondage and serfdom
- The use of children in prostitution, pornography, drug-trafficking, or anything else that might jeopardize their health, safety, or morals
Some people use the term only for activities that are forbidden by the International Labor Organization's minimum-age conventions.
For example, if a factory hires children who are too young to work safely, that would be considered child labor. Or if someone forces a child to work in prostitution, that would also be child labor.
Under the Fair Labor Standards Act, it is illegal to employ workers under the age of 16 in any occupation, or to employ those 16 to 18 years old in particularly hazardous occupations. This is known as oppressive child labor. The Secretary of Labor can impose fines of up to $10,000 per violation.
Overall, child labor is a serious problem that can harm children physically, mentally, and emotionally. It is important to protect children from these harmful practices and ensure that they have access to education and other opportunities that will help them thrive.