Child labor laws – Teen working in grocery store – Courtesy: Shutterstock — BearFotos
For years, Florida has been taking action against companies that hire illegal immigrants. However, that created a challenge for the state’s enterprises, who are in dire need of employees to fill low-paying and frequently unappealing positions.
Children could be the answer, according to Florida’s Republican governor, Ron DeSantis, and the state legislature.
A plan that would relax the state’s regulations against child labor and permit minors as young as 14 to work overnight shifts was advanced by the assembly on Tuesday. Teens could work midnight jobs on school days if the new law is approved. According to state law, they are currently not allowed to work before 6:30 am or after 11 pm.
With five votes in support of the relaxed child labor laws and four against, the bill was approved by the Florida Senate’s Commerce and Tourism committee on Tuesday. Before the entire Florida Senate votes on the bill, it must first pass two more pertinent committees.
Echoing President Donald Trump’s rhetoric, DeSantis has been vociferous in his support of the bill and his desire to crack down on immigration. But according to analysts, that might backfire and lead to further inflation and a labor shortage.
According to the Tampa Bay Times, DeSantis stated last week at a panel discussion with border czar Tom Homan, “Why do we say we need to import foreigners, even import them illegally, when you know, teenagers used to work at these resorts, college students should be able to do this stuff?”
In 2023, a law was adopted in Florida mandating that companies with more than 25 workers use the federal database E-Verify to verify their immigration status. Businesses that violate the rule risk fines of $1,000 per day unless they can prove that their employees are law-abiding citizens.
Yes, those rules caused some of our employees to leave, but you were also able to acquire new staff. What’s wrong with assuming that our youth will now work part-time jobs? During the panel discussion, DeSantis added, “I mean, that’s how it used to be when I was growing up.”
For years, the state has been loosening its regulations regarding child labor. The legislature enacted a bill last year that permits 16 and 17-year-olds who are homeschooled to work at any time of day.
The proposed rule, which ends guaranteed lunch breaks for 16 and 17-year-olds and removes working time restrictions for homeschooled teenagers aged 14 and 15, will be discussed by the state’s Republican-led legislature on Tuesday.
According to data from the US Department of Labor, Florida has seen a nearly threefold increase in child labor infractions in recent years.
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Chris began his writing as a hobby while attending Florida Southern College in Lakeland, Florida. Today he and his wife live in the Orlando area with their three children and dog.
