Peter Eide, manager for labor law policy at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, thinks it is. Workers' compensation laws guarantee the injured employee will be paid something. But in return, the employee loses his right to sue. Federal law works in a similar way. It imposes fines and criminal penalties on employers for child labor violations but shields them from being sued in federal court.
Critics say fines are often low and criminal sanctions rare.
The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without prior written authority of The Associated Press. In 1994, U.S. Labor Department officials asked for advice about tightening federal child labor laws. The recommendations were supported with statistics documenting death and injury to children in unregulated work. The proposals have never been implemented.