As labor shortages continue across several industries, a number of states are trying a controversial new strategy: making it easier to employ teenagers. Over the past two years, bills that make it easier for minors to work at paid jobs have been introduced in Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Ohio, New Jersey, New Hampshire, and Arkansas. But each was written with a different focus and in a variety of contexts. For example, the Minnesota bill focused on making it easier for construction companies to hire 16- and 17-year-olds. The New Jersey bill allowed minors between 16 and 18 to work up to 50 hours a week (or 10 hours a day) during their summer break.In Iowa, the U.S. Department of Labor sent a letter to Iowa lawmakers saying some regulations in the state bill were "inconsistent" with federal laws, like letting 16- and 17-year-olds operate dangerous tools. Arkansas is one of the few states that has already passed one of these bills: the Youth Hiring Act of 2023. It removed the requirement that children under 16 needed permission from the Division of Labor to get a job in order to 'restore decision-making to parents.' In a statement to Scripps News, Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders office said she believes in protecting kids but added, "This permit was an arbitrary burden on parents to get permission from the government for their child to get a job. All child labor laws that actually protect children still apply, and we expect businesses to comply just as they are required to...
The Ondo State Police Command has debunked a rumour currently circulating within the Akure metropolis alleging the imposition of a traditional curfew. The command categorically stated that no such...