The State Senate passed legislation which would expand the number of hours students would be allowed to work
The State Senate passed Senate Bill 332, which would expand the number of hours students would be allowed to work on days preceding a school day, as well as days preceding a non-school day.
According to NFIB’s September Economic Trends Report, a majority of small business owners reported job openings they could not fill, an increase over August and a record high reading for the third consecutive month.
While not suggesting this legislation will solve the labor shortage, this proposal will offer additional employment opportunities not available under current law that could be very helpful for small employers struggling to fill job vacancies.
Child labor law is very important to small business. Typically, small business employers provide our young people with their first meaningful job experience. Education is also important to small employers, and they show their commitment by serving on school boards, donating their talents and services, and contributing financial resources to their local schools.
Small business owners care about the young people in their schools and do whatever they can to provide the best educational opportunities for them.
Senate Bill 332, supported by NFIB, would apply only to employers and employees not covered under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act, would make some modest revisions in child labor law that will help small business employers with staffing shortages, help maintain their key role in providing a learning work experience, and, importantly, continue to help our young people by providing them with a more realistic limitation on the number of hours they are permitted to work.
