Child Labor Violations and Sweatshops in the U.S.

The Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 is the primary federal law regulating wages and working conditions of American workers, including children. To protect children from oppressive working conditions, the Act limits the hours that children under age 16 can work, sets minimum age standards for work in specified occupations, and restricts employment in specific hazardous occupations for youths under age 18. Since the mid-1980s, there has been an increase in violations of these child labor standards. In addition, there appears to be a widespread problems of sweatshops--workplaces that regularly violate both wage and child labor laws and workplace safety or health standards- -in certain industries throughout the country.