Child Labor Penalties Skyrocket: New Bill Sets $500K Fines, 10-Year Prison Term for Exploitation Resulting in Death

The “Justice for Exploited Children Act” is laser-focused on one thing: making it incredibly painful—both financially and criminally—for companies that violate child labor laws. If you're an employer, this bill is basically a massive flashing warning sign that says, 'Don't even think about it.'

This legislation drastically amends the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) by setting up a tiered system of penalties that hit repeat offenders and those whose violations lead to tragedy. The core idea is to move child labor violations out of the realm of just a slap on the wrist and into serious criminal territory. If an employer willfully or repeatedly violates child labor laws, they now face criminal fines up to $100,000 and up to five years in prison. That’s a significant jump from current law, putting serious teeth into enforcement.

The Cost of Negligence: New Highs for Civil Penalties

The civil penalties—the fines the Department of Labor can issue—are also getting a major overhaul. For any standard child labor violation, the fine now starts at a minimum of $1,000 and can go up to $150,000. Crucially, this maximum penalty doubles if the violation is repeated or willful. This means even a single, non-fatal, non-injurious violation can now cost an employer six figures if the government decides it was intentional.

But the real financial pain comes when a minor employee is hurt or killed. If a child labor violation causes a serious injury to a worker under 18, the fine is now between $25,000 and $601,150. If the violation leads to the death of a minor employee, the fine starts at $50,000 and also maxes out at over $600,000. If that fatal violation was repeated or willful, the fine doubles again.

The Criminal Hammer: When Exploitation Turns Deadly

This bill introduces the most severe consequences for the worst-case scenarios. Under the new criminal penalties, if an employer’s willful child labor violation results in the death or serious injury of an employee under 18, that employer can face fines up to $500,000 and up to 10 years in federal prison. This is a crucial change because it specifically ties the highest criminal penalties to the physical harm caused to the child, making it a powerful deterrent against placing minors in dangerous working conditions.

For most honest businesses, this bill changes nothing—they already follow the rules. But for the small percentage of employers who try to cut corners by exploiting young workers, this legislation is a game-changer. It means that the financial risk of getting caught has gone from a manageable cost of doing business to a potentially business-ending liability, not to mention the very real threat of serious jail time. This protects vulnerable young workers and ensures that the financial incentive to exploit them is completely wiped out by the massive risk of enforcement.