Shafaqna English– The US child labor violations have risen fivefold in the last 10 years.
The number of minors employed in violation of child labor laws increased from 1,012 children in fiscal year 2015 to 5272 in fiscal year 2025, with 773 children illegally employed in hazardous occupations in 2025 compared to 355 in 2015.
Among the child labor investigations conducted by the Department of Labor amid an increase in violations, in 2022, several McDonald’s franchises in Pennsylvania were fined by the US Department of Labor after an investigation found 101 children were working excessive hours outside of allowable time periods. In 2023, another investigation discovered two 10-year-olds working at McDonald’s locations in Kentucky. In January 2025, Perdue and JBS USA reached settlements after an investigation found contractors were employing minors in hazardous occupations at meat processing plants.
Though the Biden administration ramped up enforcement in response to the increase in violations and egregious child labor violations, the Trump administration has presided over a drastic decrease in workplace safety inspections and enforcement, including a 97% decline in wage and hour enforcement cases and a 35% decline in health and safety enforcement cases.
A 2024 analysis of federal child labor violations between 2008 to 2020 found states that require youth work permits had 13.3% fewer violation cases and 31.8% fewer minors involved in these violations, by acting as a deterrent for employers and serving to enhance awareness and monitoring of child labor laws.
Source: The Guardian