Adolescents and work: risks and benefits of teenage employment.

1. Adolescent employment, both legal and illegal, has been on the increase in the U.S. during the past 2 decades. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, more than 5.9 million children between the ages of 16 and 19 were legally employed in May 1994. 2. Benefits of employment include self reliance and discipline, improved organizational skills, and financial management as well as a sense of responsibility, teamwork, and exposure to occupational choices. 3. Negative effects of employment include threats to completion of developmental tasks and education, injury, toxic exposure, and illness.