US Department of Labor opens national dialogue to improve outreach to teens on workplace issues of safety, wages, job training, discrimination

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor is extending an invitation to teens, parents, educators, employers and other interested stakeholders to join a national online dialogue through April 30 to gather ideas on how the department can connect with teens better.

The department will use the insights received to develop effective ways to enhance its existing efforts to inform teens about avoiding workplace hazards; the types of work they are allowed to do; age restrictions for work hours; employer wage requirements; employment training, including apprenticeships; and workplace discrimination. 

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports the U.S. workforce included 4.7 million teens between the ages of 16 and 19 in 2020. In fiscal year 2020, the department recorded child labor violations in more than 850 investigations by its Wage and Hour Division and estimates a teen between 15 and 19 years old requires emergency room treatment for a workplace injury approximately every five minutes.

Co-hosted by the department’s Office of Disability Employment Policy, Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Wage and Hour Division, Office of Compliance Initiatives and Employment and Training Administration, the dialogue is part of ODEP’s ePolicyWorks initiative.

Visit https://teenworkers.ideascale.com to register and participate in the online dialogue.