Legal Definitions - child-labor law

A child-labor law is a law that protects children by setting rules for their working conditions. These laws can be made by the state or federal government. The Fair Labor Standards Act is an example of a federal child-labor law.

The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) is a federal law that was created in 1938. It sets rules for minimum wages, overtime pay, and the employment of minors. This means that employers must pay their workers a certain amount of money and cannot make them work too many hours. The FLSA also has rules about how old someone must be to work certain jobs.

For example, the FLSA says that children under the age of 14 cannot work most jobs. Children who are 14 or 15 years old can work certain jobs, but only for a limited number of hours each day and week. The FLSA also says that children who are 16 or 17 years old can work more hours, but still cannot work in certain dangerous jobs.

These examples show how the Fair Labor Standards Act protects children by setting rules for their working conditions. By having these rules in place, children are less likely to be taken advantage of by their employers and are able to work in a safe and fair environment.