Child welfare advocates express concern, while Popeyes faces criticism over possible violations
Lawmakers in several states are looking to change legislative rules to allow children to work in more hazardous occupations, longer hours on school nights and in expanded roles including serving alcohol in bars and restaurants as young as 14.
That’s according to PBS, citing largely Republican efforts to roll back labor rules to address worker shortages.
In Wisconsin, lawmakers are backing a proposal to allow 14-year-olds to serve alcohol in bars and restaurants. Also, the Ohio Legislature is on track to pass a bill allowing students ages 14 and 15 to work until 9 p.m. – later than federal law allows – during the school year with their parents’ permission.
Last year, Iowa Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds signed a law allowing teens aged 16 and 17 to work unsupervised in child care centers. In March, Republican Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders signed a law eliminating permits that required employers to verify a child’s age and their parent’s consent.
But child welfare advocates worry the measures represent a coordinated push to scale back hard-won protections for minors, according to PBS.
“The consequences are potentially disastrous,” said Reid Maki, director of the Child Labor Coalition. “You can’t balance a perceived labor shortage on the backs of teen workers.”
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