LABOR DEPARTMENT ANNOUNCES $8 MILLION AWARD TO HELP PREVENT AND REDUCE CHILD LABOR IN VIETNAM

FROM:  U.S. LABOR DEPARTMENT 
LAB News Release: [01/29/2015]
Release Number: 15-0038-NAT

International Labor Organization receives $8 million award from
US Labor Department to prevent and reduce child labor in Vietnam
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of International Labor Affairs today announced the award of an $8 million cooperative agreement to the International Labor Organization to implement a technical cooperation project to prevent and reduce child labor in Vietnam. This project will be undertaken in coordination with the Government of Vietnam.
"2015 marks the 15th year of our bilateral cooperation on labor issues with the Government of Vietnam," said Deputy Undersecretary for International Affairs, Carol Pier. "The Government of Vietnam has taken great strides to enhance national and local capacity to address child labor, and the funding of this project highlights our continued partnership and underlines our commitment to provide assistance to vulnerable children and their families."

Supporting Vietnam's national plans of action on children, child protection and child labor, the project will increase the capacity of national institutions and stakeholders to identify and respond to child labor, raise awareness of child labor at all levels of society, and implement an area-based intervention model aimed at preventing and withdrawing children at risk of or in the worst forms of child labor in selected areas.

Of the estimated 1.75 million children in Vietnam who work as child laborers, most work in agriculture — tending crops and cattle or even logging — and come home to families who struggle to make ends meet. One in three child laborers works more than 42 hours a week, and of this group, very few see the inside of a classroom.

Since 1993, ILAB has produced reports to raise awareness globally about child labor and forced labor. ILAB has also provided funding for more than 280 projects in over 94 countries to combat the worst forms of child labor by providing assistance to vulnerable children and their families.

DOL GRANTS WORLD VISION $10 MILLION TO FIGHT EXPLOITED CHILD LABORERS IN ETHIOPIA

FROM:  U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR 
World Vision receives $10M US Labor Department grant to combat
exploitative child labor in Ethiopia

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of International Labor Affairs today announced the award of a $10 million cooperative agreement with World Vision to implement a project to address exploitative labor among youth in Ethiopia.

"We know when youth are provided skills training and career services that align with needs in the jobs market, they are less likely to be drawn into exploitative labor," said Deputy Undersecretary of Labor for International Affairs Carol Pier. "Our goal is to help vulnerable youth in Ethiopia develop the skills they need to make a successful transition into decent jobs."

The project will promote education and vocational training opportunities and seek to enhance livelihoods and access to social protection programs for youth and their households. Focusing specifically on the needs of girls, the project aims to address exploitative child labor by providing youth ages 14 to 17, with marketable skills and support to secure decent work. The project will also support President Obama's Young African Leaders Initiative.

Since 1993, ILAB has produced reports to raise awareness globally about child labor and forced labor. ILAB has also provided funding for more than 280 projects in more than 94 countries to combat the worst forms of child labor by providing assistance to vulnerable children and their families.

Based in Washington State, World Vision is a non-profit, humanitarian organization conducting relief, development, and advocacy activities in its work with children, families, and their communities in nearly 100 countries to help them reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty and injustice. World Vision serves all people regardless of religion, race, ethnicity, or gender.

ISIDRO LEON-YORK AWARDED 2013 IQBAL MASIH AWARD FOR ELIMINATION OF CHILD LABOR

FROM:  U.S. LABOR DEPARTMENT 
Nicaraguan coffee producer Isidro León-York awarded US Labor Department's
Iqbal Masih Award for the Elimination of Child Labor

ASHINGTON — Carol Pier, deputy undersecretary for the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of International Labor Affairs, announced Isidro León-York of Nicaragua as the recipient of the department's 2013 Iqbal Masih Award for the Elimination of Child Labor. U.S. Ambassador to Nicaragua Phyllis M. Powers presented the award to Mr. León-York at a ceremony today in Managua.

U.S. Secretary of Labor Thomas E. Perez selected León-York in recognition of his efforts to eliminate child labor from the production of coffee, which includes the prohibition of child labor on his own coffee farm that employs over 760 workers. León-York uses a portion of his farm's profits to fund a school for the children of workers there and has committed to provide his workers and their families with decent wages, food and health care. He is also helping expand a public-private partnership called Educational Bridges, which provides education to children of coffee workers and prevents child labor during the coffee harvests.

León-York has been a prominent advocate for child labor reduction efforts in Nicaragua's coffee sector, supporting a network of coffee growers and seeking to gain commitments from other coffee plantation owners to eliminate the use of child labor in the sector. León-York is the first award recipient to come from the private sector.

In announcing the award, Pier said, "Every day, millions of children around the world toil under dangerous and exploitative conditions, producing agricultural goods for the marketplace. Isidro León-York exemplifies the positive role that the private sector can play combatting harmful child labor. This award is a tribute to all those private-sector leaders, who like Mr. León-York, have embraced this role as a better way of doing business."

Congress established the Iqbal Masih Award for the Elimination of Child Labor in 2009 to recognize exceptional efforts by an individual, company, organization or national government to end the worst forms of child labor.

This non-monetary award honors the spirit of Iqbal Masih, a Pakistani child sold into bonded labor as a carpet weaver at age four. He escaped his servitude and became an outspoken advocate for children's rights, drawing international attention in his fight against child labor. Masih was killed in Pakistan at age 12 in 1995.
Since 1995, the Labor Department has supported global efforts to combat exploitative child labor internationally.

DOL ANNOUNCES $5 MILLION GRANT TO REDUCE CHILD LABOR IN BURMA

FROM:  U.S. LABOR DEPARTMENT 
$5M grant to reduce child labor in Burma awarded by US Labor Department

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of International Labor Affairs today announced the award of a $5 million cooperative agreement to the International Labour Organization to implement a project to reduce child labor in Burma and support the Government of Burma's efforts to comply with international standards.

The project will:
support research and collection of data on the extent and nature of child labor in Burma, build the capacity of national and local organizations to carry out efforts to reduce child labor, implement pilot programs to remove or prevent children from involvement in exploitative labor and raise awareness about child labor in the country.

"This project will develop effective strategies for reducing child labor in Burma," said Deputy Undersecretary of Labor for International Affairs Carol Pier. "It will expand understanding of the extent and nature of the problem and help stakeholders in the country increase efforts to protect children."

The project involves collaboration among key government agencies and ministries at the national, regional and local levels, including the Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security. It will also work with workers' organizations, employers' organizations, civil society organizations and teachers.

Since 1995, ILAB projects have rescued approximately 1.7 million children from exploitative child labor. The Labor Department has funded 275 such projects implemented by more than 65 organizations in 93 countries. ILAB currently oversees more than $245 million of active programming to combat the worst forms of child labor.

LABOR DEPARTMENT ANNOUNCES $5 MILLION AWARD TO REDUCE CHILD LABOR IN MOROCCO

FROM:  U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR 

$5M grant to reduce child labor in Morocco awarded by US Labor Department

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of International Labor Affairs today announced the award of a $5 million cooperative agreement to Creative Associates International to implement a project to reduce child labor in Morocco.

The project aims to reduce child labor in the Marrakesh-Tensift-Al-Haouz region of Morocco by promoting children's participation in educational programs and delivering vocational training focused on sectors, such as farming and ecotourism. Additionally, it will offer support to youth of legal working age to secure quality employment opportunities.

"This grant will fund a multifaceted project to protect children and families in Morocco," said Deputy Undersecretary of Labor for International Affairs Carol Pier. "Especially for those children at risk of engaging in the worst forms of child labor, education and vocational training hold the promise of a safer and more secure economic future."

Creative Associates International will promote access to social services for families and help them improve their livelihoods by providing access to microlending and savings programs and other activities to increase household resilience. It will also strengthen the capacity of government at the national and local levels to address child labor and of civil society organizations to provide assistance to working children and their families.

The project will collaborate with key government agencies and ministries at the national, regional and local levels, including the Ministry of Employment and Social Affairs.

Since 1995, ILAB projects have rescued approximately 1.7 million children from exploitative child labor. The Labor Department has funded 275 such projects implemented by more than 65 organizations in 93 countries. ILAB currently oversees more than $245 million of active programming to combat the worst forms of child labor.

U.S. LABOR DEPARTMENT AWARDS $14.7 MILLION IN GRANTS TO CURB CHILD LABOR

FROM:  U.S. LABOR DEPARTMENT 
US Department of Labor awards $14.7 million to ILO for two multi-country grants to reduce child labor

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of International Labor Affairs today announced the award of two cooperative agreements to the International Labor Organization to address the worst forms of child labor by providing direct technical assistance to governments in 20 countries and support for updating statistics related to child labor in another 100 countries.
The department awarded $7.7 million for a cooperative agreement to build the capacity of governments to reduce child labor in at least 10 countries, including Bangladesh, Paraguay, Philippines, Suriname and Uganda. The project will: support efforts to bring national legislation on child labor issues into compliance with international standards, improve monitoring and enforcement of child labor laws and policies, and improve national plans of action on child labor. The project will also enhance implementation of policies and programs to increase access to basic education, vocational training, social protection services and poverty reduction initiatives for populations vulnerable to the worst forms of child labor. The project will collaborate with key government agencies and ministries at the national, regional and local levels.

The department awarded a second cooperative agreement for $7 million to collect and analyze data on working children in 10 countries, including Armenia, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Georgia, Jamaica, Malawi, Morocco, Peru, Tanzania and an additional country to be identified. The project will: conduct surveys to collect data on child labor at the national or sector-level, develop policy appraisals, prepare and publish public-use data files, and build capacity of national statistical offices to conduct research and analyze data on child labor. The project will also update statistics on children's work and education for approximately 100 countries.

Since 1995, ILAB projects have rescued approximately 1.7 million children from exploitive child labor. The Labor Department has funded 269 such projects implemented by more than 65 organizations in 91 countries. ILAB currently oversees more than $220 million of active programming to combat the worst forms of child labor.

U.S. LABOR DEPARTMENT COMBATS CHILD LABOR IN BURMA

FROM:  U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

US Department of Labor announces $5 million grant solicitation to combat child labor in Burma

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of International Labor Affairs today announced a $5 million solicitation for cooperative agreement applications to support Burma's efforts to reduce child labor.

The project(s) funded under this solicitation will develop pilot programs to remove or prevent children from exploitative labor and raise awareness in support of Burma's efforts to comply with international standards. Eligible applicants should propose research that yields much-needed credible, comprehensive data on the extent of child labor in Burma. The project will build the capacity of national and local organizations to advocate for a reduction of child labor and improve access to quality education and other relevant services for children and their families.

Applications must be submitted by Oct. 4, 2013, at 5 p.m. EDT electronically or as hard copies to the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Procurement Services, 200 Constitution Ave. NW, Room S-4307, Washington, D.C. 20210, Attention: Brenda White.

All cooperative agreement awards will be made by Dec. 31, 2013. The solicitation for cooperative agreement application (SCA 13-15) is available online at http://www.dol.gov/ILAB/grants/main.htm and http://www.grants.gov.

Congress has appropriated funds for ILAB to support international technical cooperation projects to combat the worst forms of child labor as defined by the International Labor Organization Convention 182. ILAB grants address child labor through the provision of educational services for children and livelihood support for their households. ILAB also supports the collection of reliable data on child labor and helps strengthen the capacity of governments to address child labor in a sustainable way.

LABOR ANNOUNCES $7.7 MILLIOIN IN GRANT COMPETITION TO REDUCE WORST FORMS OF CHILD LABOR

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
US Department of Labor announces $7.7 million multi-country grant competition to reduce the worst forms of child labor

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of International Labor Affairs today announced a $7.7 million competitive solicitation for a cooperative agreement to support a reduction of the worst forms of child labor by building local and national capacity of governments in at least 10 countries.

Despite global progress in addressing the worst forms of child labor, it is estimated that more than 215 million children around the world still work, with more than half of them engaged in hazardous work. This project will advance ILAB's ongoing effort to combat child labor through capacity building activities that support: (1) development, improvement and adoption of national legislation addressing child labor issues, including compliance with international standards; (2) improved monitoring and enforcement of policies and laws related to child labor; (3) adoption of improved national plans of action on child labor; and (4) enhanced implementation of policies and programs to reduce and prevent the worst forms of child labor, including programs to increase access to basic education, vocational training, social protection services and poverty reduction initiatives.

Eligible applicants must propose to work with host governments to implement actions in countries that have expressed an interest in receiving support to reduce child labor. Applicants must propose specific activities to build capacity in Bangladesh, Paraguay, the Philippines, Suriname and Uganda to combat child labor. Applicants must also describe their capacity to implement similar activities in five additional countries to be selected by the Bureau of International Labor Affairs.

COMPANY PAYS PENALTIES FOR VIOLATIONS OF CHILD LABOR RULES

FROM:  DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Candyopolis assessed $12,000 in penalties for child labor violations, pays more than $6,700 in back wages following US Labor Department investigations

Various FLSA violations found at 13 candy stores in Kansas, Nebraska and Oklahoma
KANSAS CITY, Kan. -- The U.S. Department of Labor has assessed a total of $12,000 in civil money penalties against Candyopolis, a retail confectionary chain in the Midwest, after investigations by the department’s Wage and Hour Division found teens at seven stores were allowed to perform hazardous jobs prohibited by the Fair Labor Standards Act’s child labor provisions. The investigations – conducted at 13 stores in Kansas, Nebraska and Oklahoma – also disclosed violations of the FLSA’s minimum wage, overtime pay and record-keeping requirements, resulting in back wages totaling $6,737.40 recovered for 275 employees.

Investigators found that three stores in Kansas (two in Wichita and one in Manhattan) and four in Oklahoma (two in Oklahoma City, one in Enid and one in Norman) allowed minor employees to load and operate trash and box compactors in violation of the FLSA’s Hazardous Occupations Order No. 12, which generally prohibits workers under 18 from operating, loading or unloading paper balers or trash compactors.
Minimum wage violations were found at all 13 stores, resulting in $2,048 owed to 256 employees. The violations stem from the company requiring each employee to pay $8 for uniform shirts from his or her first paycheck, which caused pay to fall below the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour.

Overtime violations were found at 11 stores in all three states, resulting in a total of $4,689.40 owed to 19 employees. These violations were due to Candyopolis incorrectly classifying managers as exempt from the requirements of the FLSA. Consequently, managers were paid a salary without being paid the half-time due on the overtime hours worked.

Finally, the company failed to keep accurate records of time worked by employees at 12 stores in the three states, as required by the FLSA.
The Kansas stores investigated are located in Manhattan, Salina, Topeka and Wichita (two). The Oklahoma stores are located in Enid (two), Lawton, Norman and Oklahoma City (two). Both of the Nebraska stores are in Omaha. All back wages owed have been paid in full.

“Businesses that employ minors are legally and ethically obligated to abide by child labor standards, and to ensure minors are protected on the job,” said Susana Rincon, director of the Wage and Hour Division’s San Francisco District Office. “The penalties imposed as a result of these violations are indicative of the Wage and Hour Division’s efforts to combat systemic violations found in the retail industry. We are committed to educating employers about wage laws and to enforcing them. The division will ensure that workers receive their fair and rightful wages, and that minors are protected in the workplace.”

Candyopolis is operated by Meetha Ventures of Fremont, Calif. The Wage and Hour Division’s district office in Kansas City, Kan., initiated the investigations and the division’s San Francisco District Office became involved when systemic violations were found because it has jurisdiction over the company’s corporate office.

The FLSA establishes a minimum age of 18 for workers in those nonagricultural occupations that the secretary of labor declares to be particularly hazardous for 16- and 17-year-old workers or detrimental to their health or well-being. The FLSA also requires that covered, nonexempt employees be paid at least the federal minimum wage for all hours worked, as well as one and one-half times their regular rates for hours worked over 40 per week. Additionally, accurate records of employees’ wages, hours and other conditions of employment must be maintained.