Florida Republicans, including Gov, Ron DeSantis, are supporting Senate Bill 918, which would allow teenagers as young as 14 to work nighttime shifts, even on school nights, without meal breaks, reports Hypefresh:
This effort is also part of a national trend, with a number of states loosening child labor protections to help alleviate workforce shortages. Florida, for instance, legalized the hiring of homeschooled 16-year-olds for unlimited hours last year. The new law opens this up to more teens.
Supporters of the bill, including Republican Senator Jay Collins and Governor Ron DeSantis, argue the bill aligns Florida’s labor laws with federal laws and puts parents’ rights first. They see the bill as a solution to labor shortages, particularly in industries like hospitality and agriculture, that have resulted from the state’s crackdown on unauthorized workers…
Business groups, such as the Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association, are supporting the bill, saying that allowing teenagers to work longer hours will provide them with valuable work experience while helping businesses stay in business during periods of labor shortages.
Critics of the bill, including labor rights activists, educators, and Democratic lawmakers, are worried about its negative impacts. They think that the removal of the work-hour limit could mean higher dropout rates, decreased academic performance, and physical exhaustion for teen workers.
(Source: Hypefresh