This bill aims to amend the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to enhance child labor protections, specifically targeting agricultural work involving tobacco. It seeks to prohibit the employment of individuals under the age of 18 in any capacity that involves direct contact with tobacco plants or dried tobacco leaves. The legislation explicitly redefines "oppressive child labor" to encompass such activities for minors. By doing so, it removes tobacco-related agriculture from the general agricultural exemptions previously applicable under federal child labor laws, thereby preventing children from engaging in this hazardous work.
This bill aims to amend the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to enhance child labor protections, specifically targeting agricultural work involving tobacco. It seeks to prohibit the employment of individuals under the age of 18 in any capacity that involves direct contact with tobacco plants or dried tobacco leaves. The legislation explicitly redefines "oppressive child labor" to encompass such activities for minors. By doing so, it removes tobacco-related agriculture from the general agricultural exemptions previously applicable under federal child labor laws, thereby preventing children from engaging in this hazardous work.