GAO Report Found Data Gaps in Child Labor Enforcement
Federal records show sharp increases in labor violations, forcing businesses to reexamine compliance standards.
Updated on Sept. 29, 2026 in Employment
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A Government Accountability Office report identified significant data gaps in U.S. workplace child fatality records between 2013 and 2023. The findings also highlighted a decline in inter-agency collaboration since January 2025 alongside a surge in child labor law violations.
Why it matters
The report highlights a growing risk for employers as federal scrutiny tightens on labor scheduling and age-restricted work roles. Businesses must now account for increased enforcement volatility as agencies attempt to resolve systemic coordination failures identified by the GAO.
Illegal employment of minors grew to 5,272 cases in 2025, up from 1,012 in 2015, with 62% of all violations occurring in food and accommodation services. Data also shows that agriculture accounted for 75% of the 109 fatalities where industry information was reported.
The players
Government Accountability Office
The independent, nonpartisan federal agency that audits and investigates government programs to ensure accountability.
Bobby Scott
A U.S. Representative from Virginia and lead sponsor of legislation aimed at strengthening child labor data collection.
The details
The GAO analysis indicates that over half of the 260 recorded child fatalities lacked sufficient data on cause or industry, complicating efforts to track workplace safety for minors. Meanwhile, the prevalence of illegal scheduling violations—comprising 59% of cases between 2015 and 2025—suggests widespread non-compliance with restrictive hour limits for 14- and 15-year-old employees. This lack of centralized data persists despite administrative changes to injury reporting that began in 2021.
Timeline
2013-2023: Period covered by the child fatality data.
2015-2025: Period covered by the child labor violation data.
2021: Year injury and illness data collection methods changed.
January 2025: Commencement of diminished federal agency collaboration.
September 29, 2026: Official release date of the Government Accountability Office report.
Market Landscape
This development follows a pattern set by the Protecting Children Act, which seeks to formalize stricter data reporting requirements for labor agencies. The report’s findings underscore a significant departure from previous inter-agency coordination benchmarks established before January 2025.
Operators in the food, accommodation, and agricultural sectors should audit their current scheduling logs for 14- and 15-year-old employees to ensure strict alignment with federal hour limits. Given the identified inter-agency coordination gaps, businesses should expect heightened scrutiny during standard labor department audits.
The takeaway
The lack of centralized fatality data highlights a need for better internal record-keeping to mitigate regulatory risk. Operators should prioritize monitoring the legislative progress of the Protecting Children Act as a signal for upcoming changes to federal compliance and enforcement thresholds.
Further reading
For broader trends in workforce management and regulatory changes, see Employment.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Guardian.
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