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Author: Mahony, Douglas
Resulting in 2 citations.
1. Kruse, Douglas L.
Mahony, Douglas
Illegal Child Labor in the United States: Prevalence and Characteristics
NBER Working Paper No. 6479, National Bureau of Economic Research, March 1998.
Also: http://www.nber.org/papers/w6479
Cohort(s): NLSY79
Publisher: National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)
Keyword(s): Child Health; Child Labor; Children; Children, Well-Being; Current Population Survey (CPS) / CPS-Fertility Supplement; Data Quality/Consistency; Illegal Activities; Labor Market, Secondary; Labor Supply; Work Hours/Schedule

This study provides the first comprehensive estimates of children and youth working under conditions that violate federal and state child labor laws. Using the CPS, NLS, and other sources, it is estimated that 148,000 minors are employed illegally in an average week-working too many hours or in hazardous occupations-and 290,000 are employed illegally at some point during a year. The total number of hours worked illegally is about 113 million per year, for which these minors are paid over $560 million. Whites, males, and 1 15-year-olds are the most likely to be working in volation of child labor laws. Youths working illegally in hazardous jobs earn on average $ 1.38 per hour less than legal young adults in the same occupations, which combined with the savings from employing youths for excessive hours adds up to a total employer cost savings of roughly $155 million per year. In addition to raising important policy concerns about the health and well-being of these youths, the findings make a case for the development of high-quality employment data on children and youths, to improve estimates of illegal employment and study its effects.
Bibliography Citation
Kruse, Douglas L. and Douglas Mahony. "Illegal Child Labor in the United States: Prevalence and Characteristics." NBER Working Paper No. 6479, National Bureau of Economic Research, March 1998.
2. Kruse, Douglas L.
Mahony, Douglas
Illegal Child Labor in the United States: Prevalence and Characteristics
Industrial and Labor Relations Review 54,1 (October 2000): 17-40.
Also: http://www.jstor.org/stable/2696030
Cohort(s): NLSY79
Publisher: New York State School of Industrial and Labor Relations, Cornell University
Keyword(s): Child Labor; Current Population Survey (CPS) / CPS-Fertility Supplement; Earnings; Illegal Activities; Occupations; Racial Differences; Wage Differentials; Wages, Youth; Work Hours/Schedule

Using the Current Population Survey, the National Longitudinal Survey, and other sources, the authors provide the first comprehensive estimates of the number of minors working in violation of federal and state child labor laws (working excessive hours or in hazardous occupations), their characteristics, their wages, and trends in illegal child labor. Although illegal employment of 15-17-year-olds has declined since the 1970s, some 154,000 minors are employed illegally in an average week, and 301,000 in a year. Illegal work hours total about 110 million per year. Whites, males, and 15-year-olds are the most likely to be working in violation of child labor laws. Youths working illegally in hazardous jobs earn, on average, $1.38 per hour less than legal young adults in the same occupations, which, combined with savings from employing youths for excessive hours, adds up to employer cost savings of roughly $136 million per year. Reprinted by permission of the publisher.
Bibliography Citation
Kruse, Douglas L. and Douglas Mahony. "Illegal Child Labor in the United States: Prevalence and Characteristics." Industrial and Labor Relations Review 54,1 (October 2000): 17-40.