Congress targets employers engaged in child labor

Aiming to strengthen existing child labor regulations through the U.S. Department of Labor, the U.S. House of Representatives is considering a resolution that would call on fines of up to $690,000 if a person under 18 years old is seriously injured or killed while working in several industries.

H.R. 6079, filed Oct. 26 but made public Thursday, calls on the DOL to create and manage rules for minors working in manufacturing, mining, trenching or excavation, meat processing, demolition and explosives.

The DOL, through its Wage and Hour Division, already mandates which industries minors cannot work in, but lawmakers and watchdog groups have been critical of oversight, enforcement and what some consider low fines for violations.

The resolution, which provides other proposed guidance on child labor, was referred to the committees on Education and the Workforce and Oversight and Accountability.