State Rep. Joseph D'Orsie | Pennsylvania 47th Legislative District
State Rep. Joseph D'Orsie | Pennsylvania 47th Legislative District
HARRISBURG – Victims of child labor law violations currently receive no restitution from the fines collected by the Department of Labor and Industry. In an effort to address this issue, Representative Joe D’Orsie from Manchester, Pennsylvania, has announced that he will be introducing legislation to ensure that the money from fines goes directly to the victims.
"When a company exploits child labor, the state gets a check to spend at its discretion without any remedy to the actual victims. That's simply unjust," stated D’Orsie. "I am preparing to introduce legislation to fix this impropriety and redirect this money to benefit the children who were victims of child labor violations."
The current practice is that when the Department of Labor and Industry identifies a child labor law violation, a fine is imposed on the offending company, and the money collected goes into the state's General Fund. D’Orsie's proposed legislation aims to change this by directing the Department of Labor and Industry to collaborate with the state treasurer to determine if the child has any existing accounts, such as a 529 account, an account for nonpublic school tuition, a long-term investment or savings account, or another depository account.
If such an account is found, a portion of the fine would be deposited into it. However, if no account is found, the money would be provided to the child through their parent or legal guardian, along with information on how to set up a 529 account to help the child save for future educational costs.
"When a company commits child labor violations, the fines should be directed to benefit the children who were taken advantage of," emphasized D’Orsie. "This money shouldn't disappear into a bottomless pit in Harrisburg; it should support a child's future through education."
This proposed legislation is a step towards rectifying an injustice and ensuring that the victims of child labor violations receive the restitution they deserve. By redirecting the fines to benefit the affected children, Pennsylvania aims to provide them with the opportunity to pursue a better future.
For media inquiries, please contact Greg Gross at 717.260.6374 or via email at ggross@pahousegop.com. Additional information about Representative Joe D’Orsie and his work can be found on his website at RepJoeD.com.
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