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House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
House of Representatives
Session of 2023 - 2024
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | June 7, 2023 01:48 PM |
|---|---|
| From: | Representative Regina G. Young |
| To: | All House members |
| Subject: | Increase Penalties for Child Labor Act Violations |
| I will soon be introducing legislation to increase the penalties for employers who are found to be violating Pennsylvania’s Child Labor Act. Currently, there is an effort underway in state legislatures nationwide to rollback and weaken child labor laws. This comes at a time when the number of minors employed in violation of child labor laws increased 283% from 2015 to 2022, according to the US Department of Labor. The Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry also noted an uptick in violations during their budget hearing this year. There are many recent examples of child labor law violations across the Commonwealth. A Perry County roofing contractor was accused in April of employing a 12-year-old and 15-year-old, and in February, a McDonald’s franchise operator in Erie and Warren counties was found illegally employing 154 minors who were 14- and 15-years-old. Additionally, in October 2022, a 17-year-old worker fell 24 feet from the roof of a home improvement store in New Castle. My legislation will double the criminal penalties for violations of the Child Labor Act. These amounts have remained the same for at least a decade and are clearly insufficient in deterring the illegal employment of children. The fines must be high enough so as not to be accepted as “the cost of doing business”. Please join me in ensuring that employers are properly held accountable for exploiting Pennsylvania’s children. |
Introduced as HB1354