The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) is proposing revisions to child labor regulations that will strengthen the safety requirements for young workers employed in the agriculture industry. The agricultural hazardous occupations orders under the Fair Labor Standards Act that bar young workers from certain tasks have not been updated since they were promulgated in 1970.According to a DOL press release, "the department is proposing updates based on the enforcement experiences of its Wage and Hour Division, recommendations made by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, and a commitment to bring parity between the rules for young workers employed in agricultural jobs and the more stringent rules that apply to those employed in nonagricultural workplaces. The proposed regulations would not apply to children working on farms owned by their parents."
Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis stated that, "children employed in agriculture are some of the most vulnerable workers in America." Ensuring their welfare is a priority of the department, and this proposal is another element of our comprehensive approach."
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Posted 9/19/2011
