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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 14-year-old. But you must be mindful of her age when determining her work and hours, considering not only her health and safety but also her future.

—Adapted from ‘The Ethicist’ in The New York Times