Underage Help in India.

• Author: Chauhan, Amita
• Position: Ethical Dilemma - Brief article

I live in India, where it's common to have household help, including minors. A friend asked me to hire a 14-year-old from a poor family to do light housework. Is it better to not hire a minor or to hire her and treat her better than other employers are likely to treat her?--Amita Chauhan, Mumbai, India

ANSWER It's a grim truth that many families face such dire poverty that they rely on their children's earnings to survive. So you may do some good by employing this...