Labor Dept. Enforcing Laws to Protect Most Vulnerable Workers; Wage Hour Administrator Participates in LULAC Child Labor Panel

WASHINGTON, June 19 /U.S. Newswire/ -- The U.S. Department ofLabor's Wage and Hour Administrator Tammy D. Scotchmen participatedin a panel discussion titled, "Child Labor: Keep Them From Harm"during the League of United Latin American's Citizens (LULAC) 74thannual convention being held in Orlando, Fla.

"We want to ensure that parents, employers and young Americans areaware of the resources and protections available to ensure a positiveand safe work experience," said Scotchmen. "Partnering withorganizations such as LULAC we are able to get the most importantinformation to young workers and their families."

The Wage and Hour Division of the U.S. Labor Department'sEmployment Standards Administration enforces many core laborprotections, including the child labor laws. The child laborprovisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) were enacted toensure that when young people work, the work does not jeopardizetheir health, well-being or educational opportunities.

Last May, Secretary of Labor Elaine L Chao launched the YouthRules! initiative. Over the last year, twenty-one groups such asLULAC and thirteen government agencies have signed on as strategicpartners in the effort to promote positive, safe work experiences foryoung workers. The Youth Rules! website educates teens, parents,educators, employers, and the public on Federal and State lawsregarding young workers.

As a Youth Rules! partner, LULAC will work with the Wage and HourDivision in promoting and aiding the department's outreach efforts tohelp protect reach young workers, their families and their employers,especially those in the agricultural industry.

LULAC is the oldest largest Hispanic organization in the country. Through almost 115,000 members and 600 councils nationwide, LULACseeks to advance the economic condition, educational attainment,political influence, health and civil rights of the Hispanicpopulation of the United States.

For more information about the laws administered by the Wage andHour Division, log on to the Internet at http://www.wagehour.dol.gov, or call the Department of Labor's toll-freehelp line at 1-866-4USWAGE.

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