Key data missing for half of US child labor deaths, official report finds
A recent GAO report reveals that over half of US child labor deaths between 2013 and 2023 lacked critical data on the cause of death or the industry involved. The report attributes these significant data gaps to a lack of coordination between federal agencies and the discontinuation of key datasets. Additionally, the number of minors employed in violation of child labor laws has surged from 1,012 in 2015 to 5,272 in 2025.
- ▪An average of 24 children under the age of 18 died each year due to work-related incidents in the US between 2013 and 2023.
- ▪Among fatalities with reported industry data, 75% of the children worked in agriculture, while two-thirds of those with reported causes died in transportation incidents.
- ▪The GAO found that the Department of Labor's collaboration with other federal agencies to address child labor violations has largely diminished since January 2025.
- ▪Child labor violations increased significantly, with the number of minors employed illegally rising from 1,012 in fiscal year 2015 to 5,272 in fiscal year 2025.
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| Original publisher | The Guardian — World |
| Canonical URL | https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/sep/29/child-labor-law-date-gaps-report |
| Publication time | Tue, 29 Sep 2026 18:00:02 GMT |
| Retrieval time | 2026-09-29T18:12:31.990Z |
| Last seen | 2026-09-29T18:12:31.990Z |
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Farmworkers harvesting strawberries in California on 18 April 2026. Photograph: Tayfun Coşkun/Anadolu/Getty ImagesView image in fullscreenFarmworkers harvesting strawberries in California on 18 April 2026. Photograph: Tayfun Coşkun/Anadolu/Getty ImagesChild laborKey data missing for half of US child labor deaths, official report findsOver half of 260 workplace child fatalities between 2013 and 2023 lacked data on cause of death or the industry workedMichael SainatoTue 29 Sep 2026 14.00 EDTLast modified on Tue 29 Sep 2026 14.01 EDTSharePrefer the Guardian on GoogleInformation is missing on over half of deaths at work of people under the age of 18 in the US because of significant gaps in child labor data, according to a government accountability office (GAO) report released on Tuesday.The…
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