Protecting Children Act

MINIMUM WAGE: Endorsed legislation, Raise the Wage Act (H.R. 1611), to increase the federal minimum wage to $17 over five years and phase-out the tipped, 14(c), and youth subminimum wages. The bill text is identical to the text introduced last Congress. CHILD LABOR LAW - PROTECTING CHILDRENS ACT: HR.4440: Letter of support for the ambitious, far-ranging new domestic child labor bill from Rep. Bobby Scott and Rep. Alma Adams. The "Protecting Children Act," would increase fines by a factor of 10, establish minimum child labor fines for the first time, invoke criminal penalties for extreme cases, and strengthen the Department of Labor's ability to prevent the sale and movement of products of illegal child labor. It also has new research requirements, enables private enforcement, and establishes a new National Advisory Committee on Child Labor. This bill also has language that would apply pressure on the Department of Labor to improve occupational safety rules for children on farms - a priority of the Child Labor Coalition for the last dozen years. It is one of four bills that seeks to increase civil monetary penalties substantially-something DOL Wage and Hour has asked Congress to do. PAYCHECK FAIRNESS ACT: Letter in support of the Paycheck Fairness Act. The bill was reintroduced by Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT-3) and Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) on this years Equal Pay Day, March 25th. The bill has not substantially changed since the last Congress (H.R. 17 / S.728 in the 118th Congress). Given the existing pay disparities, it is imperative that we work to bolster equal pay protections and ensure fair compensation for all through bills such as the Paycheck Fairness Act. The Act would strengthen the Equal Pay Act by barring retaliation for discussing pay; prohibiting reliance on salary history to determine pay; providing women with the same remedies currently available for race and ethnicity-based discrimination; closing loopholes that allow employers to pay women less than men for equal work; and including measures for data collection and research. STATEMENT CALLING ON ADMINISTRATION TO REVERSE COURSE ON CHILD LABOR: Workers in the United States and around the world now are being put at greater risk because the Trump Administration has just cancelled all of the grants distributed by the U.S Department of Labors Bureau of International Labor Affairs. Yet, even more concerning for the National Advocacy Center of the Sisters of the Good Shepherd is the children, said Fran Eskin-Royer, Executive Director of NAC. Children from Brazil to Democratic Republic of Congo to Uzbekistan to Malaysia now are more likely to be injured or even to be trafficked.