Workers Law & Regulation
Are all children protected by FLSA (Fair Labor Standards Act)?
No, the laws don’t apply to children on family farms.
What level of schooling are Latinx migrant youth most likely to drop out of to work and why?
Middle-High School ages. According to The New Times Article a 9th grader who worked at nights started to pass out from fatigue at school and was hospitalized causing her to eventually drop out.
Why are children more prone to injuries in the workplace than adults?
Inexperience, developmental characteristics (Physical, physiological, cognitive, psychological), and the need to balance school and work. Commonly leading to amputation, burns, scalds, fractures, eye loss, electrocutions, exposure to toxins, and death.
In 2020, how many children in Latin America and the Caribbean were involved in child labor?
~8.2 million, ⅔ are in hazardous work that puts their health, safety, and moral development at risk.
What is the federal minimum wage for children in the U.S.?
$7.25. However, children (under age 20) may be paid $4.25 per hour for their first 90 consecutive calendar days after initial employment.
What do you think the limits are for children working with machinery and tractors on farms?
Not operating a tractor that has over 20 Horsepower and not involved in operating or assisting farm machinery.
How many hours do Latinx migrant children work while they're still in school?
According to the two The New York Times articles many of the children on average work 12-14 hour shifts during school day.
How does working in early childhood affect mental health?
The lower the working age, the higher the chance of developing mental illness. Children who started working at or before the age of 14 have a higher chance of developing symptoms. These can be heightened during adulthood with further added stress. In underdeveloped countries, these aspects can be overlooked.
Why are migrant and refugee children more at risk to child labor?
They, themselves, or with family members try to run away from poverty, natural disasters, limited resources for children, or even immigration issues affect their own family members.
How much do agricultural workers earn in Latin America (monthly wages in dollars)?
Highest paid: Costa Rica-687
Uruguay-570
Mexico-440
El Salvador-365
Honduras-329
Peru-277
Argentina-152
Lowest paid: Venezuela-3.61
What are the federal law regulations for minors?
Limit on hours/times a day, minimum age standards, and various types of work.
What are some barriers to education for Latinx migrant children in middle to highschool?
Lack of knowledge of the U.S education system laws.
Poverty-wanting to help out their family.
From two of The New York Times Articles about child labor, the children bring up the long working hours that make it difficult for them to catch up with sleep and school.
In the article “The Kids on the Night Shift”, what happened after the Occupational Safety and Health Administration was notified of Marcos' accident?
Nothing. The case was passed down through different channels and was closed after less than 2 weeks without citations or further investigation of the plant or Marco.
Why does gender disparity play a huge role in child labor?
Gender-bias in boys having more opportunity to find a job out of home. Meanwhile, girls are more focused on other people’s homes.
What working industries have some of the worst working conditions/most dangerous jobs in the world?
Construction, transportation and warehousing, mining, agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting.
What are the requirements for someone as young as 12 to work in agriculture?
Must have parental consent, work on small farms, non-hazardous jobs, not during school hours.
What is one responsibility of the Department of Health and Human Services in addressing Latinx migrant children?
To ensure sponsors will support the Latinx migrant children in the U.S. and protect them from trafficking and exploitation.
What happens when children are injured at the workplace?
About 58% of most serious injuries did not make children stop work with only 2.6% ending up with complete absence from work and school. Leading to a higher chance of experiencing worse health outcomes later in life such as cancer, infertility, chronic pain, and worsened mental health. All can be worsened by poverty and lack of healthcare access.
What’s the primary reason Latinx children go into labor work?
Indirect Family Support (buying their own clothes, school supplies, working for themselves for the need of money, sense of obligation to contribute, helping their siblings supplies, less stress for their parents/guardians)
Direct Family Support (money directly given to the parents, the need to help out, helping relatives in need)
What countries have the worst working conditions?
Bangladesh, Belarus, Ecuador, Egypt, Eswatini, Guatemala, Myanmar, Tunisia, the Philippines and Turkey.
If we remove the family farm exemption, how many work injuries do you think will this eliminate?
About 1/3 of work injuries for kids under 16 years old.
What are some solutions to help Latinx migrant children excel in school and stay out of child labor?
Providing a non-profit organization that tutors students near the labor sites.
Providing a grant to the Latinx migrant students so they can go to school and not worry about working.
In the article “The Kids on Night Shift”, Maria Escalante, a U.S.D.A. inspector tried to track down to help a teenager who broke his leg at work from falling from a ladder at Tyson but was unsuccessful. Why?
The children use fake names to create credentials that list them older than they are in order to work.
How do recruiters typically establish connections with potential victims?
Recruiters either know the victim’s parents’, parent’s acquaintances; other family members; or “organized” groups by “trust” of keeping the victims safe.
As a worker, what can you do about poor working conditions in the U.S.?
You can file a confidential complaint with OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) and/or ask for an inspection.