Currently, there is an effort underway in state legislatures nationwide to rollback and weaken child labor laws. This comes at a time when the number of minors employed in violation of child labor laws increased more than 298% from 2015 to 2024, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. While this number peaked in 2023, any child employed in violation of Pennsylvania’s Child Labor Law is unacceptable.
 
In order to address this concern and better protect Pennsylvania’s children, I will soon be introducing legislation to increase penalties for employers who are found to be violating Pennsylvania’s Child Labor Act. There are many recent examples of child labor law violations across the Commonwealth. A Perry County roofing contractor was accused of employing children as young as 12-years old in 2023 and in 2024. In February 2023, a McDonald’s franchise operator in Erie and Warren counties was found illegally employing 154 minors who were 14- and 15-years-old. Additionally, in October 2022, a 17-year-old worker fell 24 feet from the roof of a home improvement store in New Castle.
 
My legislation will double the criminal penalties for violations of the Child Labor Act. These amounts have remained the same for at least a decade and are clearly insufficient in deterring the illegal employment of children. The fines must be high enough so as not to be accepted as “the cost of doing business”.
 
Please join me in ensuring that employers are properly held accountable for exploiting Pennsylvania’s children.

Previous Co-Sponsors: Delloso, Sanchez, Madden, Hill-Evans, Parker, Guenst, Gallagher, Scott, Green, Shusterman, and Kenyatta.

Statutes/Laws affected:
Printer's No. 0100: P.L.1209, No.151