AR Times: “Child labor violations in Arkansas more than tripled over the last few years, according to a new study by Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families — but a new law passed by the state Legislature in 2023 may have made it harder to track the exploitation of children in the workforce.
The AACF report, released Monday, is based on an analysis of state and federal data. AACF found the number of child labor violations in Arkansas increased 266% between fiscal years 2020 and 2021 and fiscal years 2022 and 2023. The nonprofit advocacy group also found that, when compared to six neighboring states, Arkansas ranks among the worst, “whether that be the prevalence of cases, violations, minors involved in violations or penalties assigned.”
Child labor violations have also been on the rise nationally. From 2014 to 2023, the number of minors involved in U.S. Department of Labor violations increased by 400%, AACF said.”