Kids as young as 12 can legally work on small farms in the United States. A former child worker described the employment as "dangerous and backbreaking."
When Norma Flores López started working 10- to 12-hour days every day of the week, she was just 12 years old.
In the United States, kids are permitted to work in agriculture for an unlimited number of hours as long as they don't skip school and have parental consent.
During a remote hearing on child agricultural labour held by López on Wednesday, the U.S. House Education and Labor Workforce Protections Subcommittee heard testimony from her parents.
Human Rights Watch, a research and advocacy organisation, claims that there is no minimum age requirement for kids working on small or family farms.
When it comes to dangerous duties, farm employees can begin performing them at the age of 16, although workers in other industries must be at least 18 years old.
When it comes to dangerous duties, farm employees can begin performing them at the age of 16, although workers in other industries must be at least 18 years old.
There is no question that working in agriculture may be hazardous. In spite of the fact that the number of children injured at work appears to have decreased.
The Government Accountability Office reported in 2018 that more than half of all child fatalities at work between 2003 and 2016 still happened in the agricultural sector.
According to a 2018 analysis by the Government Accountability Office, the agriculture industry continued to account for more than half of all child workplace fatalities between 2003 and 2016.