MIAMI.- After several amendments, on its last day of session, the Florida Congress passed the law known as “Employment and curfew for minors,” which regulates child labor in the state.
The new legal initiative, approved on Friday, March 8, establishes that 16 and 17 year old adolescents cannot work before 6:30 am or after 11:00 pm, if they have school the next day, nor for longer. eight hours, except if it is a Sunday or holiday.
During the school year, they may not work more than 30 hours a week without their parents’ permission. Unless they study at home or attend virtual schools, in which case they do not need their parents’ permission to work.
In this way, the final result of the law improved the first version that allowed adolescents between 16 and 17 years old to work more than 40 hours.
The standard also regulates breaks, and establishes that adolescents aged 16 and 17 will not be able to work more than 4 continuous hours without an interval of at least 30 minutes for a meal break.
Critics of the project maintain that its spirit constitutes an obstacle to education, since it could encourage school absenteeism. However, the legal initiative was supported by the Florida Restaurant Association.
The new law could affect up to 94,000 teens in the workforce, including 80,000 who are currently employed, according to estimates from the Florida Policy Institute.
The House voted 76-33 in favor of the bill, while the Senate voted 27-11. Now, HB-49 awaits Governor Ron DeSantis’ signature. If ratified, it will enter into force on July 1, 2024.
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