Child labor laws
By Oneironaut
@_sketch_ (5742)
United States
August 4, 2009 6:47pm CST
Thanks to child labor laws, children can no longer be forced to work in sweat shops,or anywhere else for that matter. But what about young teenagers aged 13 to 15?
"In jobs that are not considered particularly hazardous, the FLSA sets the normal minimum age for employment in agriculture at 14 years, whereas in every other industry the normal minimum age is 16 years." -http://www.stopchildlabor.org/USchildlabor/fact1.htmI don't understand why you have to be 16 to work as a cashier or in a fast food restaurant, but you can be only 14 to work on a farm. It simply makes no sense to me.
An episode of the cartoon The Goode Family that I watched the other night relates to this. In this particular episode, Bliss decides to get a job, so that she can afford a pair of cool jeans. Since she is only 15 the only job she can get is pulling weeds on a farm. While she is there she makes this comment,"Good thing child labor laws protect me from working in an air conditioned room."
There are many jobs that someone can't do just because of their age when it seems no more dangerous to me than some of the jobs people of the same age are allowed to do. It seems a bit discriminatory to me. Do you think that some of these age limits are only put in place because they are slightly higher paying and they want to preserve these jobs for older workers? What do you think about this? Do you think that the child labor laws should be revised in any way or do you think that it is good where it is now?
1 person likes this
2 responses
@cripfemme (7698)
• United States
5 Aug 09
The reason for the difference in the laws as I learned from my grad school law professor is that if you are 14 you can work in any business your parents own be it a restaurant, a farm, or what have you as long as you don't operate dangerous equipment. For the rest of the jobs, the age limit is 16. This is because people assume that you are less likely to be exploited by your parents than some stranger.
@mtdewgurl74 (18151)
• United States
10 Aug 09
True...I know I wouldn't want a kid of mine using knives and grills and deep fryers at the age of 14. But then I wouldn't agree with them using a weed eater either..especially one with a metal blade..mowing grass is okay as long as they are extremely careful.
@mtdewgurl74 (18151)
• United States
10 Aug 09
Maybe it is because they are dealing with food preparation or money and they would rather have a older worker for that. Also might be a stamina thing older kids might be able to work longer hours and also younger kids lose interest faster then then the older children..or most do.




