Legal Definitions - child labor

Child labor refers to the employment of individuals under a legally specified age, typically the age of majority, in work that is harmful, exploitative, or interferes with their education and healthy development. This term specifically highlights practices that deprive children of their childhood, jeopardize their physical or mental health, safety, or morals, and often involves conditions such as forced labor, trafficking, or work in hazardous environments.

In many legal contexts, particularly under laws like the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) in the United States, child labor also encompasses the employment of minors (even older teenagers) in occupations deemed particularly dangerous or unsuitable for their age, regardless of whether they are above a general minimum working age.

• Example 1: A 10-year-old child is forced to work long hours in a small, unregulated brick kiln, carrying heavy loads of clay and bricks in extreme heat. They are exposed to dust and fumes, receive no formal education, and suffer from chronic respiratory issues and physical strain.

  Explanation: This scenario clearly illustrates child labor because the child is well below the age of majority, engaged in physically demanding and hazardous work, deprived of schooling, and subjected to exploitative conditions that severely endanger their health and development.

• Example 2: A 16-year-old high school student takes a full-time job during the school year operating heavy machinery in a logging operation. While 16-year-olds are generally permitted to work in some capacities, operating such dangerous equipment is legally prohibited for anyone under 18 due to the high risk of severe injury or death.

  Explanation: Even though this individual is a teenager, their employment falls under the definition of child labor because they are engaged in an occupation specifically classified as hazardous for minors of their age, posing a significant and unacceptable risk to their safety and well-being.

• Example 3: Children aged 7 to 12 are compelled by a criminal organization to beg on city streets for hours each day, often in harsh weather conditions, and are threatened with violence if they do not collect a certain amount of money. They are denied access to education, adequate food, and a safe living environment.

  Explanation: This situation represents child labor in an extreme form. The children are not only below the age of majority but are also forced into exploitative activities that are dangerous, harmful to their development, and severely jeopardize their safety and well-being, fitting the definition of illicit and harmful child labor.