Child Labor Exploitation: How to Comply with Federal Labor Laws as a Small Business Owner

Description

Just in time for summer, please join U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Rhode Island District Office and U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division (USDOL/WHD) for a presentation on the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (FLSA’s) youth employment requirements for small business owners.

The USDOL/WHD, is dedicated to helping young workers find positive and early employment experiences, but the work must be safe.  The federal child labor provisions of the FLSA were enacted to ensure that when young people work, the work is safe and does not jeopardize their health, well-being, or educational opportunities.

USDOL/WHD investigations have disclosed a significant increase in children being employed illegally, and in 2023, the USDOL/WHD launched a National Strategic Enforcement Initiative on Child Labor to put additional emphasis on addressing this critical issue.

Presentation topics will include:

• Child labor protections by age
• Jobs & Hours that 14- and 15-year-olds may work
• Dangerous jobs that are prohibited for all children under age 18 
• Child labor protections on farms
• USDOL news releases highlighting a sample of recent child labor violation cases
• SBA resource overview