Exploitive Adolescent Labor and Labor Trafficking: Clinical Perspectives for Adolescent Healthcare Providers

Author: Barral, Romina; Kelley, Michele; English, Abigail; Raymond-Flesch, Marissa; Chaffee, Tonya; Svetaz, Veronica; Coyne-Beasley, Tamera & Kanbur, Nuray

Abstract: Health-care providers are aware that many adolescents work, including in legitimate jobs for monetary compensation or to help their families in a variety of healthy ways. Literature suggests that working less than 20 hours a week can be developmentally appropriate and helpful for midadolescents to late adolescents [1]. Important questions remain: When does work become problematic? How do we screen for problematic work in adolescents, like exploitive or trafficked work conditions? There is overlap between exploitive adolescent labor, understood broadly, and adolescent labor trafficking; this commentary addresses clinical aspects of both. This commentary reviews basic definitions and trends and offers guidance about common red flags for exploitive adolescent labor as well as possible resources and strategies for helping youth and families in these situations.

Keywords: exploitive adolescent labor, labor trafficking, healthcare, red flags