Democracy Dies in Darkness
Economy

In a tight labor market, some states look to another type of worker: Children

Bills advancing in the Iowa and Minnesota state legislatures would roll back child workplace protections to address worker shortages

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February 11, 2023 at 8:00 a.m. EST
A worker leaves the Tyson Foods plant in Waterloo, Iowa, in 2020. A bill advancing in the Iowa state Senate would relax child labor protections to allow 14-year-olds to work in industrial freezers and meat coolers. (Charlie Neibergall/AP)
5 min

As local economies grapple with a tightening labor market, some state legislatures are looking to relax child labor protections to help employers meet hiring needs.

It’s part of a persistent trend in labor economics, experts say. When employers struggle to find talent, many prefer to hire younger, cheaper workers rather than increase pay and benefits to attract adults.