Can Your Parents Make You Work in the Family Business

My question involves child abuse or neglect in the State of: Wisconsin

My dad owns and runs a small business in Wisconsin. I do work for him (cleaning, sweeping, stocking) in the store. He technically pays me a wage ($9.00/hr), but it goes direct deposit into his own bank account.

Right now I only work about three hours a day (after school) during the week, but my dad tells me when I turn 16 that I will have to work four hours every day during the week and eight hours a day on the weekends.

I would refuse, but my dad has told me that if I try to quit or don't show up he would spank me everyday until I was willing to work again. He uses an open hand but I know that he hits hard because he's done it before for other reasons. I'm not tall or strong enough to defend myself against him (he's a large guy and I am not).

Can he really make me work that long when I turn 16? What can I do to stop working for him without being hit? Should I call CPS, run away, or what?

Once you reach the age of sixteen, your state does not limit work hours save for that you can't be scheduled to work when you're required to be in school.

If you believe that your parents are abusing you, you can make a report to protective services or speak to a counselor at school.

Wisconsin Child Labor Laws

https://dwd.wisconsin.gov/er/labor_s...labor_laws.htm

http://dwd.wisconsin.gov/dwd/publica...rd_17231_p.pdf

The hours that 16- and 17-year-old minors may work is not limited, except that they may not work during hours they are required to be in school.

In addition to maximum hours and time of day restrictions, no minor (17 and younger) may work longer than 6 consecutive hours without a 30-minute duty free meal period. No minor under 16, other than those working in agriculture or delivering newspapers, may work more than 6 days in any workweek.

Hours worked during school hours as part of an approved written work experience program do not count as part of the total permitted hours of work per day or per week.


Wisconsin Child Abuse

http://www.co.marathon.wi.us/Departm...ssessment.aspx

Q: Is spanking against the law?

A: Physical discipline is legal in the state of Wisconsin unless there is physical injury that meets the definition of physical abuse; meaning serious injury inflicted on a child by other than accidental means.

Granted that is one county website in Wisconsin - but if you feel that you have serious injury inflicted upon you then you can call CPS or make a report.

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Quoting qwaspolk69

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Wisconsin Child Labor Laws

https://dwd.wisconsin.gov/er/labor_s...labor_laws.htm

http://dwd.wisconsin.gov/dwd/publica...rd_17231_p.pdf

The hours that 16- and 17-year-old minors may work is not limited, except that they may not work during hours they are required to be in school.

In addition to maximum hours and time of day restrictions, no minor (17 and younger) may work longer than 6 consecutive hours without a 30-minute duty free meal period. No minor under 16, other than those working in agriculture or delivering newspapers, may work more than 6 days in any workweek.

Hours worked during school hours as part of an approved written work experience program do not count as part of the total permitted hours of work per day or per week.


Wisconsin Child Abuse

http://www.co.marathon.wi.us/Departm...ssessment.aspx

Q: Is spanking against the law?

A: Physical discipline is legal in the state of Wisconsin unless there is physical injury that meets the definition of physical abuse; meaning serious injury inflicted on a child by other than accidental means.

Granted that is one county website in Wisconsin - but if you feel that you have serious injury inflicted upon you then you can call CPS or make a report.

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I would guess that a daily spanking would likely result in injuries sufficient to be considered to be abuse.

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Quoting 123soccerbal

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What can I do to stop working for him without being hit?

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Give him back your cell phone, your computer, your TV, your Ipod or stereo, your video games.

Forget getting a driver's license or a car until you are 18 and can go out and work for a living and pay for your own food, transportation, and a place to live.

In other words, you ungrateful little twerp, stop giving your father a hard time and be thankful for the work experience he's giving you and all the advantages his business might provide for you in the future.

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Quoting adjusterjack

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Give him back your cell phone, your computer, your TV, your Ipod or stereo, your video games.

Forget getting a driver's license or a car until you are 18 and can go out and work for a living and pay for your own food, transportation, and a place to live.

In other words, you ungrateful little twerp, stop giving your father a hard time and be thankful for the work experience he's giving you and all the advantages his business might provide for you in the future.

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I would be in agreement with what you are saying if sonny boy wasn't getting a salary at all. However, he is getting a salary of 9.00 an hour (which is quite high for a currently 15 year old) which is being deducted from daddy's income for tax purposes, but is going directly back into daddy's pocket.

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Quoting llworking

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I would be in agreement with what you are saying if sonny boy wasn't getting a salary at all. However, he is getting a salary of 9.00 an hour (which is quite high for a currently 15 year old) which is being deducted from daddy's income for tax purposes, but is going directly back into daddy's pocket.

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Might be going into Daddy's bank account but that doesn't necessarily mean that OP doesn't get the benefit of the earnings.

Daddy could just as easily give the kid the money and then charge the kid for food, clothing, and rent if the kid wants to be snotty about it.

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Quoting llworking

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I would be in agreement with what you are saying if sonny boy wasn't getting a salary at all. However, he is getting a salary of 9.00 an hour (which is quite high for a currently 15 year old) which is being deducted from daddy's income for tax purposes, but is going directly back into daddy's pocket.

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I'm mystified by why the tax deduction factors into how you feel about it. He’d get that no matter who he employed to do this work.

None of which changes the fact that until he is 18, if Dad tells Sonny Boy to work at the family business, Sonny Boy works at the family business.

Can he really make me work that long when I turn 16? Yes.

What can I do to stop working for him without being hit? Turn 18

Should I call CPS, run away, or what? If you are being physically abused, call CPS. However, there is a great deal that Dad is allowed to do to compel your obedience for which CPS will not turn a hair. If you run away, you can be dragged back home and then won't you and Dad have fun? Your "what" is to do what Dad says and get to work.

BTW, this should not be taken to mean that I approve of Dad hitting Sonny. I don't. And if Dad is hitting Sonny, I don't have a problem with Sonny calling CPS to report it.

But Sonny should not expect anything to happen except *maybe* Dad being told not to hit him any more. CPS will NOT:

* Tell Dad that Sonny can't be forced to work at the family business
* Prohibit Dad from punishing Sonny in ways that do not involve spanking
* Tell Sonny that he can move out or otherwise "run away"
* Do anything about the situation except *maybe* tell Dad not to hit Sonny any more

In other words, while I don't approve Dad's methods or possibly even his motives, the fact remains that the ONLY thing Dad is doing that MIGHT be illegal, is the spanking. And even that's not a guarantee. Sonny needs to make up his mind to the fact that unless Dad changes his mind, he's going to end up working for his Dad until he's 18. Then and only then can he quit and make it stick.

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Quoting Taxing Matters

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I'm mystified by why the tax deduction factors into how you feel about it. He’d get that no matter who he employed to do this work.

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Because he is not actually paying his son...therefore he gets the benefit of a deduction when he isn't actually paying wages.