Exploring the Past, Present and Future of Youth at Work
Join the Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program for Exploring the Past, Present and Future of Youth at Work, a two-part series exploring the history and re-emergence of child labor in the U.S., new efforts to combat it, and how we can create good jobs for youth to help them find meaningful opportunities to grow and develop.
Child labor was widespread in the U.S. during the 19th and early 20th centuries, particularly in factories, mines, and farms, where children worked long hours in often dangerous conditions for low pay. Reform efforts, driven by activists and powerful images exposing these harsh realities, led to landmark laws like the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, which established minimum working ages and limited hours for youth. While exploitative and dangerous child labor has declined significantly since then, it is once again on the rise, with troubling reports of injuries and fatalities among young people working in a variety of businesses in the US—especially among migrant children.
At the same time, having a job has long been a rite of passage for youth in the US. For some, it’s a step into the family business, a chance to save for college, or a way to build some initial skills and work experience and start building a career. Youth apprenticeships are an increasingly common approach pursued by workforce development practitioners who are supporting youth in getting off on the right foot. For other young people, a weak safety net and an insufficient number of good jobs creates real family hardship, requiring them to work to help make ends meet and often sacrificing their education and leaving them vulnerable to exploitation.
Finding ways to create safe, meaningful jobs that support youth development while eradicating exploitative and hazardous labor requires thoughtful, coordinated solutions across communities, employers, and policymakers. Join the Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program for Exploring the Past, Present and Future of Youth at Work, a two-part series exploring the history and re-emergence of child labor in the U.S., new efforts to combat it, and how we can create good jobs for youth to help them find meaningful opportunities to grow and develop.
Backsliding on Child Protections: The Return of Child Labor in the US
Part 1
In recent years, at least 10 US states have passed laws to restrict child labor protections. And today, children as young as 13 work grueling jobs that put their health, safety, and development at risk — in meatpacking plants, warehouses, tobacco fields, and other dangerous environments. Now, what many believed to be a thing of the past is, in fact, an ever-growing crisis, with life and death consequences for children across the country. There have been numerous reports about children being seriously injured or killed working in these conditions — and migrant children, in particular, get funneled into the most dangerous sectors of the labor market, where oversight is weak and accountability is rare. Join us to explore how we arrived at this moment and what we — policymakers, advocates, and others — can do to solve it.
More about child labor in the US
Part 2
About Opportunity in America
Opportunity in America, an event series hosted by the Economic Opportunities Program, considers the changing landscape of economic opportunity in the US and implications for individuals, families, and communities across the country.
About the Economic Opportunities Program
The Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program advances strategies, policies, and ideas to help low- and moderate-income people thrive in a changing economy.
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