A proposed Florida law seeking to roll back restrictions on teenage labor was drafted by a far-right conservative think tank pushing similar efforts nationwide
A new measure in Florida aims to allow 16-year-old kids to drop out of school and work full time.
An amendment to HB 49 — offered by the bill’s author, state Rep. Linda Chaney ® — would eliminate laws that prevent 16 and 17-year-olds from working more than 30 hours a week, impose 8-hour workday restrictions, and guarantee mandated breaks every four hours.
The bill, introduced in September and now under review by the Florida House Regulatory Reform and Economic Development Subcommittee, would relegate 16 and 17-year-olds to virtually the same status as an employee who is over 18 years of age — provided that the teens have either formally dropped out of school or are taking classes online or at home. Furthermore, the bill would also severely curtail local municipalities’ ability to implement their own provisions to combat the workplace exploitation of minors.
So how does a full time employee 16 year old protect their income from being taken by guardians? Can you get a checking account without a parent signing on? How does a 16 year old arrange for housing needs or set up accounts to pay utilities?
That’s not their problem. These lawmaker’s only concern is protecting the interests of the business owners they represent above their constituents, they couldn’t care less what happens to the kids their stripping labor protections from.
From what I understand, the only real way would be for the kid to protect their money is to put it in some sort of trust or custodial account (which they would likely need an adult to help set up) until they turn 18.
A 16 year old can get emancipation from the court in Florida. Doing so would make it so parents or guardian would no longer have claim over any money earned.
That’s the one decent argument for this law; an emancipated 16 year old needs the ability to work a full time job to support themselves as no one else is legally required to do so.
Give teenagers rights, but no one wants to do that. Adults like having an underclass they can exploit and abuse without consequence
Why else do we call them ‘miners’?
conservatives will post this on 4chan and have a genuine heart felt discussiin on how if they could put their NOTwelfare babies to work at wendys they can have a huge increase in WoW money
Can we fucking not? These laws were written in blood.
By boomers’ parents. The narcissist boomers don’t have the empathy for others.
I bet none of the children of the people who wrote this law will end up working in a factory though. I think in every single story I’ve read about teenagers getting maimed or killed in a factory they were a migrant from Latin America. The same people Republicans demonize on a daily basis. It’s disgusting.
Can’t run out of a supply of people to exploit. Who better then those who can’t defend themselves and are extremely vulnerable?
Now if only they could go after environmental laws too so we can go back to the good old days.
The great William Blake even wrote a poem immortalizing the joys of children working as chimney sweepers, and now we deny them of that.
Through hard labour and faith in Christianity, the children can reach their ultimate reward.
Thanks for introducing me to that poem. Really drives home how you can make child labour sound positive, while driving home biting critisim “dont worry, you and your friends will soon be dead after a brutal short life, but HEAVEN!!!”
I read a bunch of his poems growing up, but that one has always stuck with me.
The ending feels as true now as then, there’re so many situations where people dismiss the suffering of others as “gods plan” when none of it has to happen.
Republicans have horrible ideas. Stop voting for them.
I wasn’t aware Florida had any remaining labor restrictions.
This is the party so concerned about children. Woo!
As long as we lower the voting age to 16, too, then I am fine with that Republican gambit.
Taxation needs representation, like no duh.
They’re already trying to raise the age… lots of conservatives who aren’t even that fringe have talked about wanting to eliminate the 19th amendment….
The orphan-grinding machine demands cheap labor
Jbfc that is so cruel. This is capitalism. We work long hours to survive. If we need children to do this, we have fucked up.
How can anyone put their name to that and still look themselves in the mirror in the morning? Jesus christ, that’s ghoulish.
But at least they won’t hear the word “gay”…
They will everyday, as they and their ignorant co-workers use it as an insult towards each other.
I feel like I’ve read the same story about another state today
