N.C. law strengthens rules for child labor

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/local/story/790442.html

By Ames Alexander
[e-mail]
Posted: Saturday, Jun. 20, 2009

Gov. Bev Perdue on Friday signed into law a bill aimed at improving enforcement of the state's child labor rules.

The new law requires the N.C. labor commissioner to provide detailed reports on the state's efforts to protect working children.

The Labor Department now must report each year on the number and types of complaints it received, how it investigated those complaints and the identity of employers cited for violations.

The law also requires the labor commissioner to explain “any obstacles” that prevent the Department of Labor from enforcing youth employment rules – and to provide recommendations about how to better protect working children.

The legislation, introduced by Rep. Jennifer Weiss, D-Wake, passed unanimously in the House and Senate. It followed stories in the Observer last year that chronicled how thousands of American youths are injured working jobs deemed unsafe for young workers.

FULL story at link.

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1. As economic hard times increase, expect to see an increase in

child labor, and with it exploitation of said children via safety and wage violations.

Interestingly enough, today I was served by three working children: two were working the cash register and bagging at the salvage grocery store run by their grandparents; the other was busing tables at his family's ethnic restaurant. The folks running the grocery are all Mennonites, and very young children are there helping to stock shelves, etc. I believe they are home schooled and running the store is part of their schooling. At least it is more practical than some home schooling programs I've seen--and there is close adult supervision over the kids doing the stocking.