This article was originally published in Law360 on August 17, 2023, and is republished here with permission.
In February, the New York Times published an investigative report regarding alleged employment of underage migrants, many from Central America, at U.S. companies.1 While employment of certain minors is permitted under federal and state law, there are restrictions regarding the type of work, schedule and hours that minors may work.
The media scrutiny brought focus to an issue that has now become a key area of concern and attention for a few federal agencies — including the U.S. Department of Justice, the U.S. Department of Labor, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Specifically with respect to the federal government, an interagency task force has been created, and new legislation has been introduced.
Given this increased attention on the issue of compliance with child labor laws, employers should review their employee roles and practices to ensure they are in compliance with federal and state law in this area.
Just days after the New York Times article was published, in late February, the federal government announced the creation of a task force to "combat exploitative child labor."2
The announcement cites a 69% increase in "children being employed illegally by companies" since 2018. It also specifically describes an especially vulnerable population: child migrants who do not have any parents in the United States, but...
Police have launched an investigation into alleged false accusation by Park Cheol-min, a former member of the Seongnam International Mafia. Park, ahead of the 2022 presidential election, raised al...