TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Florida lawmakers are pushing for revisions to the state’s child labor laws, potentially giving teens more opportunities to work.
The bill (HB 1225) would remove the following restrictions from Florida’s Child Labor Law on working hours for 16- and 17-year-olds:
Recommended Videos
- Working before 6:30 a.m. or after 11 p.m. when school is scheduled the following day
- Working for more than eight hours in a day when school is scheduled the following day (except on holidays or Sundays)
- Working more than 30 hours in any one week while school is in session (though this can be waived by a parent or school superintendent)
- On any school day, 16- and 17-year-olds who aren’t in a career education program may not be employed during school hours
- Working more than eight hours in a day without a 30-minute break
Furthermore, HB 1225 would allow 14- and 15-year-olds to work if they’ve already graduated from high school, if they’re home-schooled, or if they’re part of a virtual instruction program in which the student is separated from the teacher by time only.
On Tuesday, the bill was changed to prohibit 16- and 17-year-olds from working between 6:30 a.m. and 10 p.m. when school is scheduled the following day. Current rules extend those restrictions until 11 p.m., so the bill would make the rule a bit stricter.
In addition, lawmakers amended the bill to allow teens to work during summer vacation in the year they turn 14 years old, subject to federal laws.
The bill’s sponsor — Florida Rep. Monique Miller (R-Palm Bay) — wrote the following for why she chose to file the bill back in February:
“Currently, Florida is more restrictive than federal law when regulating 16 and 17-year-old workers. Removing these restrictions would allow teenagers to gain more experience and earn more in their teenage years, especially when school is not in session.
Parents know what is best for their children and should have the freedom to decide what working environments are appropriate for their children, within the bounds of federal limits. The state of Florida does not need to add layers of requirements that unnecessarily regulate companies & hamper the opportunities of teenager workers.”
Rep. Monique Miller, "Why I Filed This Bill"
According to Legislative analysts, the bill could increase opportunities for teens to work and earn income, which boosts the ability for these teens to generate job experience.
This proposal comes on the heels of another law passed last year (HB 49), which made similar changes regarding the hours that 16- and 17-year-olds are allowed to work.
During HB 1225′s first committee hearing on Tuesday, Miller said that the legislation would help bring Florida’s child labor laws more in line with federal standards.
However, state Rep. Michele Rayner (D-St. Petersburg) hammered Miller on whether relaxing these rules would allow employers to potentially exploit teen workers.
“How does this bill ensure that children aren’t pressured into excessive work hours by employers who want cheap labor?” Rayner asked.
“God gave us a great overseer for that, and that is parents,” she responded. “Parents can definitely oversee what their children are allowed to do.”
HB 1225 was ultimately approved by lawmakers during Tuesday’s committee, though it will have to pass through two more before heading to a full House vote.
A similar bill was filed in the Senate, which also cleared its first committee meeting last week. If approved, these bills would take effect on July 1.
