October 14, 2026: Washington, DC – U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), a member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, reintroduced the Children’s Act for Responsible Employment in Agriculture (CARE) Act to ensure child protections and safety standards for children in the agricultural workforce. This legislation is endorsed by the Child Labor Coalition (CLC).
October 1, 2026: Nobel Peace Laureate and global child rights advocate Kailash Satyarthi will join leaders in child labor advocacy, academia, diplomacy, and international development on Monday, October 5, for “Solving Global Child Labor with Compassion,” a public event hosted by the National Consumers League’s (NCL) Child Labor Coalition at American University’s School of International Service. Register here.
June 18th, 2026: The Child Labor Coalition (CLC) applauds Senator Patty Murray and Representative Rosa DeLauro for reintroducing the Children Harmed in Life-threatening or Dangerous (CHILD) Labor Act.
May 7, 2026: Washington, DC – The National Consumers League (NCL) and its organization, the Child Labor Coalition (CLC), are proud to participate in the Annual Chocolate Scorecard, an initiative coordinated by Be Slavery Free, an Australian coalition campaigning against modern slavery. This campaign aims to raise awareness about child labor in chocolate production, promote ethical sourcing, and empower consumers to choose chocolate that aligns with their values.
By Reid Maki, Director of Child Labor Coalition The recent 6th Global Conference on the Elimination of Child Labour included high-ranking officials from over 100 governments, the ILO, trade groups, and employer groups. I heard many speeches from child labor experts with decades of experience, but former NCL intern Jacqueline Aguilar, only 23 and a recent college graduate, gave by far the most compelling and poignant remarks. In 2023, Jacky interned for me at the Child Labor Coalition, a program of the National Consumers League. She came to us through a remarkable program for former Migrant Head Start students led by the National Migrant and Seasonal Head Start Association, a member of the Child Labor Coalition. Jacky spoke on a panel with a half-dozen government officials and a trade unionist. She recalled her experiences in the United States as a child laborer in agriculture. Members of the Child Labor Coalition are concerned that, in any given year, there may be as many as 300,000 minors working in agriculture. They work legally at tasks most adults cannot do because of gaps in child labor law that apply to agriculture. These exemptions allow children to work unlimited hours in the fields (if they aren’t missing school) beginning at the age of 12. Jacky spoke from the heart about the impact child labor […]
January 11, 2026: Washington, DC – Today, the National Consumers League’s (NCL) Child Labor Coalition (CLC) is proud to support Congresswoman Hillary Scholten’s reintroduction of her bipartisan Justice for Exploited Children Act alongside Congressman Ryan Mackenzie (PA-07). This legislation would increase both civil and criminal penalties for companies that violate child labor standards established in the Fair Labor Standards Act.
Washington, DC – Today, the National Consumers League’s Child Labor Coalition is very pleased to announce a significant victory in our fight to strengthen child labor laws in Ohio. Governor Mike DeWine has vetoed SB 50, legislation that would have weakened Ohio’s child labor protections by allowing 14- and 15-year-olds to work until 9 p.m. on school nights. “The Child Labor Coalition, in partnership with Policy Matters Ohio and the Economic Policy Institute, strongly urged this veto, and we commend additional allies—including the Ohio AFL-CIO and many other organizations—who stood up to protect the well-being and educational success of Ohio’s youth,” said CLC Director, Reid Maki. “We are grateful to the Governor for bravely bucking the legislature and putting the interests of teens before profits and will continue to advocate for our nation’s children.” Last month, NCL lead numerous advocacy organizations in writing a letter to Ohio Governor Mike DeWine urging him to veto Senate Bill 50, the legislation would have allowed 14- and 15-year-olds in Ohio to work on school nights until 9 p.m., extending the current cutoff from 7 p.m. It is an additional danger to our nation’s most vulnerable to be out late while partaking in jobs that put their safety at risk. “Learning to work is an essential part of growing up. Businesses across Ohio each day give young people the opportunity to learn the so-called soft skills that will serve them well when they become adults. In analyzing this bill, it is important to define what it would do and what it would not do,” said Governor DeWine. “I believe it unwise to provide 14- and […]
November 20th, 2025: Today, on World Children’s Day, Representative Raul Ruiz (CA-25) reintroduced the Children’s Act for Responsible Employment and Farm Safety (CARE Act) in the U.S. House of Representatives.
CLC members—the Ramsay Merriam Fund, the American Federation of Teachers, and the National Education Association—made this web site possible through their generous support.