TALLAHASSEE — The House of Representatives of Florida approved a bill Thursday to allow 16- and 17-year-olds to work longer hours and later.
Supporters of the measure said teens and their parents know how to better manage their time and activities, and that lifting work restrictions will help them build careers and make money.especially with the current labor shortage.
Meanwhile, critics of the measure claim that the changes would facilitate the exploitation of minors by employers, and that increased work hours could negatively affect schoolwork.
“There have been almost a million searches for ‘How can I get a job as a teenager.’ They want to work. This bill gets the government out of their way so they can choose the path that best suits them,” said Republican Representative Linda Chaney, sponsor of the initiative.
The bill would eliminate restrictions that prohibit 16- and 17-year-olds from working more than eight hours when they have school the next day, and from working more than 30 hours a week when the school year is in progress. The Lower House approved it by 80 votes in favor and 35 against.
Democrats who oppose the bill argued that current law already allows students plenty of time to work and attend school. Rep. Anna Eskamani questioned whether the measure was proposed because employment restrictions for migrants are making it difficult to fill some jobs.
“The most obvious problem is that we see a shortage of labor in different sectors of the economy, and part of that is linked to the decisions that this Legislature has made regarding immigration,” according to the legislator.
He also said employers should pay adults more for less desirable jobs, instead of using children.
“I worry about saturating the workforce with cheap labor, making it more difficult for everyone to earn a living wage,” Eskamani said.
The Senate has a similar bill that does not go as far as the one in the House of Representatives. Senate Republican President Kathleen Passidomo said she has heard too many concerns from parents about “young people working all hours of the day and night and not sleeping and not getting an education.”
The Senate bill needs approval from two more committees before reaching the full chamber.
“We want students or kids who want to work to be able to do so, but our number one priority is to make sure they don’t sacrifice their education,” Passidomo said.
Source: AP
