labor-law immigration child-abuse children
How do I report Child Labor Law violations in California?
<p>I live in California and once a week I see a gardener mowing the neighbors' lawn. He may be here legally or illegally (as millions are) and that's a different issue.</p>

<p>The issue is that he has a kid with him every time. The boy is maybe 13 or 14. He deserves an education that is not limited to how to mow a lawn. In other words, he should be in school. </p>

<p>I called the police. They don't want to deal with it and referred me to Child Protective Services. I called them too and they don't want to deal with it. They said I should find out where he lives and what school he should attend, and then report him to the school.</p>

<p>I work full time and don't have time to follow this guy around and watch him and his slave child do yard work. I don't speak Spanish otherwise I would start engaging in a conversation and ask him outright where he lives, and maybe pretend to be interested in hiring him so I could get his info.</p>

<p>Isn't there any agency that I can contact that will actually take some action?</p>

<p>There appears to be no "<a href="https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/29/203#l" rel="nofollow">oppressive child labor</a>" occurring and therefore no breach of labor laws. The definition of oppressive child labor expressly excludes employment by "a parent or a person standing in place of a parent" except in identified hazardous occupations; gardening not being one of those. </p>

<p>Notwithstanding, schooling in California is <a href="http://statelaws.findlaw.com/california-law/california-compulsory-education-laws.html" rel="nofollow">compulsory</a> between the ages of 6 and 18 subject to a number of exemptions which the person concerned may or may not have. If you are concerned about this you should contact the Department of Education.</p>

<p>The federal law Fair Labor Standards Act sets 14 as the minimum age for employment, requiring the work to be during non-school hours, up to 3 hours a day on a school day. However, under Work Experience and Career Exploration Program, minors age 14-15 can be employed during school hours. If the child has been expelled or excused from school. Bear in mind that homeschooling is legal in California. California law pretty much mirrors this. To report this at the state level, you fill in <a href="http://www.dir.ca.gov/dlse/DLSE1_BOFE.pdf" rel="nofollow">this form</a>, and a complaint can be filed at the federal level by following <a href="http://www.dol.gov/wecanhelp/3rdparty.htm" rel="nofollow">these procedures</a> for a third-party complaint (you will have to mentally translate "you" into "the child" since they ask for your employer's name, and what they mean is, what would the child say if he/she were filling out the form). You can call them and ask for the nearest Wages and Hours Division office, where you can actually supply the information.</p>
