119th (2025–2027)
H.R. 7002
This bill significantly increases penalties for child labor violations under the Fair Labor Standards Act. Currently, the law has relatively modest penalties for businesses that illegally employ children; this legislation raises both criminal and civil fines substantially. For criminal violations, the bill imposes up to $100,000 in fines and five years in prison for repeated or willful child labor violations, and up to $500,000 in fines and ten years in prison if a violation results in serious injury or death of a child worker. On the civil side, the bill increases penalties from a flat $11,000 to between $1,000 and $150,000 per violation (doubled if repeated or willful), and raises penalties for cases involving serious injury or death to between $25,000 and $601,150. The enhanced penalties take effect immediately upon the bill's enactment and apply to all future violations.