Sturges & Burn Manufacturing Co. v. Beauchamp

Citations

• 231 U.S. 320
• 34 S. Ct. 60
• 58 L. Ed. 245
• 1913 U.S. LEXIS 2568

Syllabus

<p>A State is entitled to prohibit the employment oí persons of tender years in dangerous occupations; and in order to make the prohibition • effective it may compel employers at their peril to ascertain whether their employés are in fact below the age specified.</p> <p>Absolute requirements as to ascertaining age of employés of tender years are a proper exercise of the protective power of government; and if the legislation has reasonable relation to the purpose which .the State is entitled to effect it is not an unconstitutional deprivation of liberty or property without due process of law.</p> <p>A classification in employment of labor of persons below sixteen years of age is reasonable and does not deny equal protection of the laws.</p> <p>The provisions Of the Child Labor Act of Illinois of 1903 involved in this case are not unconstitutional as denying due process of law, as depriving the employer of liberty of contract, or of his property by requiring him at his peril to ascertain the age of the person employed, or as denying him the equal protection of the law.</p>