State restricts selling by kids

Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2000 | 11:21 a.m.

Nevada Labor Commissioner Terry Johnson announced today that children under 16 no longer will be allowed to peddle candy and other products door to door for businesses.

Johnson, who held two public hearings and reviewed the matter for months, said he reached the decision after talking to educators, law enforcement officials, representatives of youth organizations and federal and state agencies.

He discussed his decision with Gov. Kenny Guinn on Monday, he said.

Law enforcement officials are being notified of the order, which was signed today, Johnson said.

Johnson's ruling affects only children 15 years old and younger who are employed by for-profit companies. The action does not apply to children who volunteer to sell products for charitable organizations.

"There was a very troubling, very disturbing pattern over the last decade," Johnson said this morning at the Grant Sawyer state building. "There are some industry trends that troubled me from the get-go. Typically, parents know very little about these companies that hire children, and the companies know very little about the children, including, in some instances, the child's name."

Johnson also was disturbed by reports of pressure on children to make sales. He said in one instance a child was denied a ride home at night because he did not sell a certain amount of candy.

Last month Johnson heard impassioned pleas from representatives of both the for-profit candy-selling industry and nonprofit organizations.

The business operators said the safety issue is a smoke screen, because if there are dangers, children who volunteer to sell candy for the charities face the same hazards.

The business operators claim the charities pushed for the policy change to shut down the for-profit groups and give the entire lucrative industry to nonprofit organizations like the Girl Scouts, churches and schools.

Johnson said state law limits his office to making policy on the for-profit groups.

Door-to-door candy selling came under scrutiny following reports that children were being put in unsafe situations such as selling candy in front of bars on weekend nights.

Supporters of the businesses argue that children gain self-esteem, learn salesmanship skills and interact with the public -- lessons that help them get jobs in the retail industry, including supervisory positions.

The business owners say a number of their young employees come from poor families and use the money they earn to buy clothing for school or help their families make ends meet.

However, opponents of the practice say the child employees are not selling candy, but marketing their poverty to tug at people's heartstrings. Critics argue that the children are learning begging skills, to make people sorry for their situation and buy overpriced candy.

They say the sales pitches also mislead prospective customers into thinking they are supporting nonprofit organizations.