Effects of work permits on illegal employment among youth workers: findings of a school-based survey on child labor violations.

We compared self-reported child labor violations between teenagers with and without work permits. Data were obtained from a school-based survey of working teenagers in 16 randomly selected high schools in North Carolina. We examined associations between work hour violations, hazardous order violations (performance of illegal tasks), and possession of a work permit. Work permits appear to be protective against performance of illegal tasks but not against work hour violations, demonstrating the need for stricter enforcement policies and improvements in work permit screening processes.