AUGUSTA, Maine — The Maine Department of Labor is seeing an increase in violations of child labor laws.
Violations include minors working without a permit, working more hours than allowed, and working in hazardous jobs, resulting in serious injuries.
"There's a reason to be concerned," Mike Roland, the department's director of Bureau of Labor Standards.
Reports of injuries to minors in the workplace have doubled in the past decade. In 2012, 162 injuries were reported while 325 injuries were reported in 2022, according to worker's compensation data.
"We need to protect kids in the workplace because when a minor is injured it can have a life-changing effect," Roland said.
Roland said the number of injuries is probably higher because some go unreported.
While Roland said the department likes the idea of introducing young Mainers to the workforce, keeping them safe is the top priority.
"We like the idea of introducing young people to the workforce and the working world, but we want to do it as safely as possible, both in terms of preventing illnesses and injuries and also making sure that young people spend the time that they need in school," he said.
The department's seen an almost 75 percent increase in applications for minor work permits between 2017 and 2022. So far, the department has gotten more than 4,700 applications in 2023. However, Roland said the department has also been rejecting more applications, denying about 200 that are for what's considered hazardous jobs.
When investigating these incidents, the department mostly depends on people's complaints that are reported, Roland said.