Legal Definitions - oppressive child labor

Oppressive child labor refers to the employment of workers who are under the age of majority, typically focusing on abusive practices that jeopardize their health, safety, or morals. This includes:

• Exploitative factory work
• Slavery, sale, and trafficking in children
• Forced or compulsory labor such as debt bondage and serfdom
• The use of children in prostitution, pornography, drug-trafficking, or anything else that might harm them

Some writers restrict the term to activities forbidden by the International Labor Organization's minimum-age conventions.

For example, if a factory owner hires children under the age of 16 to work long hours in dangerous conditions without proper safety equipment, it would be considered oppressive child labor. Similarly, if a child is forced to work as a prostitute or drug trafficker, it would also be considered oppressive child labor.

Under the Fair Labor Standards Act, the employment of workers under the age of 16 in any occupation, or the employment of those 16 to 18 years old in particularly hazardous occupations, is prohibited. The Secretary of Labor may assess civil penalties of up to $10,000 per violation.

Overall, oppressive child labor is a serious violation of human rights and should be eradicated to ensure the well-being of children worldwide.