Child Labor laws in agriculture in the US Research Paper

Child Labor laws in agriculture in the US - Research Paper Example US laws with respect to child labor in agricultural and nonagricultural field are entirely different. Minimum age for nonhazardous work in nonagricultural field is 14 for children whereas for hazardous work in the same sector, it is 16. On the other hand, at the age of 10 itself, children can start their work in agricultural sector, if they get parental consent. At the age of 14, children can undertake any work in the agricultural sector without parental consent. Authorities have the belief that agricultural sector is comparatively safe and secure for children to start their works. Even the minimum wage laws are different for agricultural sector. â€Å"Many agricultural employers are exempt from federal minimum wage requirements and they are exempt from overtime requirements under federal law†. In other words, agricultural employers can force the workers to do overtime and that also without providing any overtime allowances to them. Children seem to be the major victims in the agricultural field because of such controversial laws. It should be noted that in any other sector, employees may have trade unions whereas in agricultural sector, such unions are not prevailing and therefore the dictatorships of the employers are taking place in this sector.