The recent enactment of the Genetic Information Non-Discrimination Act (H.R. 493), which passed both houses of Congress by overwhelming margins and was signed by President Bush on May 21, 2008, also included separate provisions increasing penalties against employers who violate child labor laws. These provisions, which amended the Fair Labor Standards Act (”FLSA”), increased the penalty from $11,000 to $50,000 for each FLSA violation leading to the serious injury or death of a child worker. Further, the increased fines are subject to doubling for repeated or willful violations.

Prior to their inclusion in the Genetic Information Non-Discrimination Act, the child labor provisions were contained in H.R.2637, a bill introduced by Rep. Lynn Woolsey (D-CA) and passed by the House via voice vote in June 2007.