North Carolina child labor law permits children as young as 12 years old and in some cases as young as 10 to labor in the fields, while in every other industry the minimum age is 14 or above. Agriculture is one of the three most dangerous industries in the nation, and yet every year across the country close to 500,000 farmworker children and youth risk their childhood, health, and well-being in order to bring food to our tables. Children in North Carolina are no exception.
The good news is that there is a bill in the NC General Assembly that will help put an end to child labor:
HB 838 Protect Youth/Family Farm Employment
Primary Sponsors: Representative Jordan (R-Ashe, Watauga), Rep. Parfitt (D-Cumberland), Rep. Howard (R-Davie, Iredell), Rep. Alexander (D-Mecklenburg)
Co-sponsors: Rep. Collins (R-Nash), Rep. Floyd (D-Cumberland), Rep. Hamilton (D-New Hanover), Rep. Harrison (D-Guilford), Rep. Weiss (D-Wake), Rep. Wray (D-Northampton, Vance, Warren)
This bill would ensure that children working in agriculture are covered by the same protections as all other industries. It would exempt children working on their family’s farm. It was referred to Committee on Agriculture.
Please call or email the bill's sponsors to thank them for sponsoring HB 838 - Protect Youth/Family Farm Employment:
Rep. Jordan (R-Ashe, Watauga)
(336) 846-1657
Jonathan.Jordan@ncleg.net
Rep. Parfitt (D-Cumberland)
(919) 733-9892
Diane.Parfitt@ncleg.net
Rep. Alexander (D-Mecklenberg)
(919) 733-5807
Martha.Alexander@ncleg.net
Rep. Howard (R-Davie, Iredell)
(919) 733-5904
Julia.Howard@ncleg.net
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