Highlights of The Child Labor Coalition's 1997 Child Labor State Survey

The survey was conducted in January 1997 with 46 states responding. This represents a 92 percent response rate. Non-respondents were Florida, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Vermont. The District of Columbia also did not respond.

State Child Labor Enforcement Personnel in 1996:

  • 8.5 compliance officers total are responsible for investigating child labor
    • compliance/violations exclusively in 46 states.
  • 26 of responding states have a total number of 10 or fewer compliance officers who
    • are responsible for enforcing labor laws in the state, including child labor laws.
     
  • 8 of responding states have a total number of 25 or more compliance officers who
    • are responsible for enforcing labor laws in the state, including child labor laws.

Child Labor Inspections in 1996:

Breakdown of number of inspections conducted by states in which child labor compliance was a component:
  • 3 states conducted 0 inspections
  • 12 states conducted 100 or fewer inspections
  • 24 states conducted more than 100 inspections
  • 10 states conducted more than 1000 inspections
  • 16% of the inspections resulted in finding child labor violations.
  • 6,229 employers were found to be in violation of child labor laws in 33 states.
  • 7,577 minors were found to be illegally employed in 29 states.
  • Only 7 states of the 38 respondents conducted any inspections in 1996 in which child labor compliance in agriculture was targeted. Only 3 of the 7 conducted a significant number of inspections. Thirty-one employers were found to be in violation of child labor laws and 91 children were found illegally employed.
  • 45 responding states assessed in total $2,469,016 for child labor violations in 1996.

Details About Specific Provisions in State Child Labor Laws:

  • Eighteen of the responding states have no minimum age for children who work as migrant and seasonal farmworkers. Sixteen states have minimum ages between 9 years and 12 years old.
  • 28 responding states reported state restrictions for occupational driving for 16- and 17-year-olds.
  • 22 responding states reported companies specializing in door-to-door sales by children (e.g., candy, magazine subscriptions, etc.) active in their state during 1996.
  • 13 states (59%) of the 22 states (who reported door-to-door companies at work in state) took action against the companies in 1996.
  • 4 states instituted new child labor regulations or passed child labor laws in 1996.

To order a copy of the survey results, send $5 to the National Consumers League, 1701 K Street, NW, Suite 1200, Washington, DC 20006.

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