Florida’s Smart Fix or Teen Exploitation?

Florida’s recent child labor has reportedly stirred up a serious debate. The law reportedly allows 16 and 17-year-olds to work greater than 8 hours a day and over 30 hours per week without mandated breaks. Moreover, the law can even remove work restrictions from fourteen and 15-year-olds who qualify.

This update is reportedly aimed toward assisting with labor shortages amid the recent crackdown on immigration within the U.S. But is that this a positive fix for the state? Or a negative solution that can do more harm than good?

More On Florida’s Controversial Child Labor Law

In response to Burns-Tucker, Florida’s child labor law, or House Bill 1225, recently made its way through the Senate by a slim margin. Per the news correspondent, the bill appears to aim at assisting the state with its labor shortage because of the Trump administration’s massive deportation efforts. As an alternative of counting on immigrants, the bill appears to show a spotlight toward Florida’s youth and talent to fill the low-wage positions left behind by deported migrants.

“[Minors aged 16 and 17] can now work before 6:30 a.m. and after 11 p.m. on school nights. Moreover, teens can now work greater than eight hours in a day or thirty hours per week even when school is in session. Unless, in fact, a parent or school superintendent says otherwise,” Burns-Tucker explains. “The law even loosens restrictions on younger teens 14 and 15, allowing them to work under certain conditions in the event that they’ve graduated highschool or are enrolled in a virtual program.”

Is The Update A Smart Fix Or Teen Exploitation?

Per Burns-Tucker, the rules of Florida’s recently passed child labor law actually align the state with the federal government’s child labor law requirements.

Scroll above to observe because the host breaks down how these updated guidelines in Florida is usually a help to the state’s labor market. Moreover, Burns-Tucker dives into how these updates is usually a quick fix for the state’s economy but still prove to have detrimental effects on the state’s education of its youth down the road.