Work permits help prevent child labor violations, says think tank

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Brief description of the dive:

An analysis of U.S. Department of Labor data shows that youth work permits, which outline a minor worker’s potential work hours and responsibilities, help prevent violations of child labor laws conducted by the Economic Policy Instituteprogressive advisory team.
EPI found that from 2008 to 2020, states that required youth work permits had 15.5% fewer child labor violations and 35.2% fewer minors involved in those violations compared to states without such permits.
“As state lawmakers prepare to begin their legislative sessions, they should push back against misguided attempts to eliminate youth work permits and seek to strengthen them by making sure the process is clear, accessible and effective in keeping minors safe on the job,” the three concluded EPI authors in a blog post about the analysis.

Diving Insights:

At the federal level, child labor is enforced by: Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938which specifies the conditions under which minors may work. The Act contains provisions regulating the age at which young people can perform certain types of work and the hours during which they can work, as well as other elements of small-scale employment.

Additionally, states can require work permits for young people – and 35 states, as well as the District of Columbia, do so. According to EPI, these are typically “simple, one-page forms” that inform parents or guardians of the child’s rights, ensure the minor’s work is safe and appropriate, and collect adult consent. The advisory team gave an example Arkansas Youth Work Authorization Form; especially, Arkansas has waived this requirement in 2023

Seven other states, mostly in the South and Midwest, have also proposed changing course on youth work permits in recent years. Three states have passed such laws, including Iowa, which has waived work permit requirements for certain jobs for teenagers, and Alabama, which has waived work permit requirements for 14- and 15-year-olds.

Opponents of youth work permit requirements have generally characterized the process as burdensome and unnecessary. Alexa Henning, Governor of Arkansas, then-Communications Director Sarah Huckabee Sanders, he told NBC News in 2023 that the requirement placed an “arbitrary burden on parents.”

EPI said its findings contradict this claim, with the number of violations not only lower overall in states with such requirements, but particularly lower in high-risk industries.

“In the accommodation and food services sector – which accounts for more than half of all child labor violations – states where work permits are required saw 18.5% fewer violations and 34.6% fewer minors involved in violations,” reports EPI. “Additionally, in states with work permit requirements, civil penalties for minors involved in violations were almost 30% lower, suggesting that these requirements also help prevent more serious forms of child labor exploitation.”