
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: FRIDAY, March 16, 1990                   TAG: 9003162845
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL                    PAGE: A-6   EDITION: EVENING 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: WASHINGTON                                 LENGTH: Medium

CHILD LABOR CRACKDOWN URGED

The $1,000 fine for employers who assign teen-agers dangerous jobs or let them work too many hours does not deter violations of child labor laws, says a congressman who backs penalties as high as $10,000.

"The sad fact is that it may continue to make economic sense to employers to violate the law if the penalties remain at this level," Rep. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., said Thursday after Labor Secretary Elizabeth Dole announced the results of a surprise three-day sweep of restaurants and other businesses nationwide.

This week's investigation found about 7,000 minors employed in hazardous jobs or working hours in excess of those allowed under federal law, Dole said. The companies are expected to face civil fines of $1.8 million, she said.

The House Government Operations subcommittee on employment and housing was holding a hearing today on child labor violations.

In advance, the panel's chairman, Rep. Tom Lantos, D-Calif.,said he considered the investigation "not just a media ratings sweep but rather the beginning of a major, continuing crackdown on violations of child labor laws."

Lantos said more enforcement personnel are needed, "not for three days, but every single day of the year so the most valuable resource of this nation - children - will not be frittered away in terms of their time, energy and physical well-being."

Schumer and Rep. Don Pease, D-Ohio, plan to introduce legislation next month to expand the definition of child labor violations. The measure likely will call for more funding for enforcement, higher fines and tougher criminal sanctions, an aide said.

At a news conference Thursday, Dole said proposed revisions to the nation's child labor laws were under review.

She said the government should first make the most of current resources.

Most of the violations uncovered this week involved firms in which 14- and 15-year-olds worked more hours or later at night during the school week than allowed under federal law, said William Brooks, an assistant labor secretary.

But there also were more than 900 youngsters, mostly 16- and 17-year-olds, who were performing dangerous tasks or using hazardous equipment such as power-driven meat-slicing machinery, dough mixers and paper-balers.

Federal law forbids 14- and 15-year-olds from working more than three hours on a school day or 18 hours during a week when school is in session. Eight hours is permitted on weekend days and 40-hour weeks are permitted in summer and during vacations.

Those youngsters may not work outside the hours of 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., or to 9 p.m. from June 1 to Labor Day.

Brooks also said nearly 200 youngsters under 14 - barred from most jobs, with a few exceptions such as newspaper delivery - were found illegally employed.

by CNB