GAO Report Reveals Major Gaps in Child Labor Death Data
The Government Accountability Office reports significant data gaps in child labor fatalities and a rise in violations, prompting Representative Bobby Scott to introduce new legislation.
A Government Accountability Office report released Tuesday reveals that the United States lacks detailed information for over half of the 260 child labor fatalities recorded between 2013 and 2023. The findings show an average of 24 children died annually from work-related incidents during this decade, with 75% of those with available data working in agriculture and two-thirds dying in transportation incidents.
Bobby Scott, the ranking member of the House Education and Workforce Committee, requested the report and subsequently introduced the Protecting Children Act to improve data collection and enforcement. Scott stated that the federal government's response to child labor lacks coordination and that enforcement is less effective due to administration chaos.
The GAO attributed the data gaps to poor agency coordination and noted that collaboration by the US Department of Labor to address violations has largely diminished since January 2025. This decline coincides with a sharp increase in child labor violations, which rose from 1,012 children in fiscal year 2015 to 5,272 in fiscal year 2025. The report also noted that 19 states have relaxed their child labor laws since 2021.
