Child Labor Enforcement: Keeping Young Workers Safe

Violations Have Increased

At the Wage and Hour Division, safeguarding children at work has always been our top priority. Wage and Hour Division investigations found a significant increase in children being employed illegally and in 2023 we launched a National Strategic Enforcement Initiative on Child Labor to put additional emphasis on addressing this critical issue.

FY 2023 Child Labor Enforcement Data

In FY 2023, we concluded 955 investigations that found child labor violations, a 14% increase from the previous year. We found nearly 5,800 children employed in violation of the law, an 88% increase since 2019, and assessed more than $8 million in penalties, an 83% increase from the previous year.

955 Closed Cases with child labor violations in FY2023

5800 kids employed in violation in FY2023

$8 Million in assessed penalties in FY2023

up 88% kids employed illegally since 2019

Up 83% in assessed penalties since FY 2022

Child Labor FY23 to FY22 Comparative

	FY23	FY22
Compliance Actions with Child Labor Violations	955	835
Young Workers Employed in Violation	5,792	3,876
Young Workers per Compliance Action	6	5
Compliance Actions with Hazardous Occupation Violations	196	216
Young Workers Employed in Violation of Hazardous Occupations Orders	502	688
Child Labor Civil Money Penalties	$8,039,728	$4,386,205

For a 10-year history of Child Labor data, please see our charts at Child Labor | U.S. Department of Labor (dol.gov)

Recent Child Labor Cases

Several of our child labor cases in FY 2023 found severe violations and resulted in tragedy. These three investigations demonstrate the ongoing threat that illegal child labor poses to kids.

Meat Processing Machinery: We issued a $1.5 million penalty against Packers Sanitation Services for employing more than 100 children in hazardous occupations.

Sawmill Operations: Florence Hardwoods, a Wisconsin sawmill operator, illegally employed nine children to operate hazardous machinery, tragically resulting in one child's fatal work-related injury on July 1.

Meat Processing Machinery: Monogram Food Solutions paid over $140,000 in penalties after we found nine teens employed illegally to operate dangerous equipment.

Other Enforcement Efforts

We ensure compliance with federal child labor laws by:

Initiating a national child labor strategic enforcement initiative and looking for child labor in every investigation the agency conducts.
Collaborating with an interagency task force on federal child labor laws.
Developing new digital resources.
Prioritizing child labor concerns when handling complaints.
Working with stakeholders and other third-party sources to receive complaints.
Conducting more than 1,700 child labor outreach events through our local offices in FY 2023.