Government Proposes Higher Penalties for Employing Children

01-Jul-2026

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The government has proposed amendments to laws governing the employment of women, young persons and children, including a tenfold increase in the maximum fine for employing children illegally.

The proposal, presented by the Minister of Labour, has already been tabled in Parliament and published in the Government Gazette.

Under the proposed amendments, anyone convicted of employing a child in a public or private industrial establishment could be fined up to Rs. 100,000, compared with the current maximum fine of Rs. 10,000.

The draft law also provides for a fine of up to Rs. 100,000, imprisonment for up to 12 months, or both, for employing a person below the age of 18 in violation of the law.

Courts will have the authority to impose both penalties where appropriate, depending on the circumstances of each case.

The government said the amendments are aimed at strengthening legal action against child labour and improving the protection of children from workplace exploitation.