WASHINGTON — A new congressional task force is focused on the growing problem of child labor. Rep. Morgan McGarvey, D-Ky., who represents the Louisville area is one of the original members of the Child Labor Prevention Task Force.

What You Need To Know

  • The task force said it aims to increase penalties for child labor violations, push for the topic to be looked at more urgently by congressional leadership, conduct oversight of federal agencies and hold informational events with experts and officials

  • “Right now, there are kids from every community in this country who are being exploited for cheap labor or for dangerous work,” Rep. Morgan McGarvey, D-Ky., who serves on the task force, told Spectrum News

  • A Department of Labor investigation found that three fast food franchisees based in Kentucky had more than 300 children working longer hours than legally permitted or performing tasks that younger workers are prohibited from taking on

Earlier this year, a Department of Labor investigation found that three fast food franchisees based in Kentucky had over 300 children working longer hours than legally permitted or performing tasks that younger workers are prohibited from doing.

The division investigated Bauer Food LLC, Archways Richmond LLC and Bell Restaurant Group I LLC. According to the report, the three separate franchisees operate 62 McDonald’s locations across Kentucky, Indiana, Maryland and Ohio. The investigation led to $212,544 in fines.

“This isn’t a problem from 80 or 100 years ago,” McGarvey told Spectrum News. “Right now, there are kids from every community in this country who are being exploited for cheap labor or for dangerous work.”

The Labor Department’s report, released in May, detailed violations in the Louisville area. One of the most egregious findings showed that two 10-year-olds had been working as late as 2 a.m. at a McDonald’s location there. The report stated that one of those children was allowed to operate a deep fryer, a job that’s prohibited for those under the age of 16.

Franchise owner-operator Sean Bauer pushed back against the allegations against Bauer Food LLC and said the two 10-year-olds were visiting their parent and were not employees.

“Any ‘work’ was done at the direction of — and in the presence of — the parent without authorization by franchisee organization management or leadership,” Bauer said.

“We have to make sure that we are keeping our kids safe and that’s the goal of this task force to keep corporations from exploiting our children to make sure our kids stay safe,” McGarvey said after a news conference.

The task force said it aims to increase penalties for child labor violations, push for the topic to be looked at more urgently by congressional leadership, conduct oversight of federal agencies and hold informational events with experts and officials.

“It was over 80 years ago we passed the Fair Labor Standards Act,” McGarvey explained. “We know from the 19th and 20th centuries, we’ve had these fights. We thought our children were being protected. Now we see this rise since 2015.” 

The Child Labor Prevention Task Force is chaired by two Democrats from Michigan, Rep. Dan Kildee and Rep. Hillary Scholten. In February of this year, The New York Times reported on violations in their state involving migrant children. That reporting found that “migrant child labor benefits both under-the-table operations and global corporations.”

“Children should be in school, not working dangerous factory jobs,” said Kildee. “Congress must do more to strengthen our efforts to combat child labor. That’s why I am proud to launch the Child Labor Prevention Task Force with Congresswoman Scholten.”