Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
At 14 I was mowing yards with a push mower and hand clippers that I had to use everywhere they use a weedeater now, for $3-$5 a yard. And I sold the local newspaper at a clothing factory in town. Didn't even try to get a regular part time job till I was 16.
Same with me. I always had pocket money, much more in the Spring when the grass would really grow!
Terrible idea. Nothing good about it. Where will they draw the line on what a kid will be used for in the quest for profits. We went down this road over a hundred years ago, when nine year olds were forced to work in the coal mines to pay off the debts of their fathers who were killed in mine accidents. Toxic capitalism is back. We put an end to child labor long ago, though it was highly resisted by, you guessed it, Southern states, that wanted to work Black kids in the fields for pitiful pay. Now the same Southern states are going back to their lawless way.
Ohio, Iowa, and Minnesota aren't "Southern" states. But that's besides the point. If 14 and 15 year olds want to work, they should be allowed to with parental consent. Teenagers are being prescribed puberty blockers and given hormone treatments to change their genders. If we're going down this slippery slope and treating children as adults, then it's not a stretch for them to go to work if they choose to. If anything, it's giving them a semblance of responsibility, independence, and learning the value and integrity of work.
Ohio, Iowa, and Minnesota aren't "Southern" states. But that's besides the point. If 14 and 15 year olds want to work, they should be allowed to with parental consent. Teenagers are being prescribed puberty blockers and given hormone treatments to change their genders. If we're going down this slippery slope and treating children as adults, then it's not a stretch for them to go to work if they choose to. If anything, it's giving them a semblance of responsibility, independence, and learning the value and integrity of work.
14 and 15 year olds can already work in a variety of positions. The proposal is to allow them to work in assembly lines, freezers, and presumably other fields that can be very dangerous/high risk. The second issue is that it isn’t going to be kids who WANT to go to these jobs, but parents who FORCE their kids into these jobs because they need money. If a kid wants to work as a grocery store bagger, babysit, mow lawns, or deliver papers, they can go for it. They shouldn’t be forced to work on an assembly line with a high injury rate.
14 and 15 year olds can already work in a variety of positions. The proposal is to allow them to work in assembly lines, freezers, and presumably other fields that can be very dangerous/high risk. The second issue is that it isn’t going to be kids who WANT to go to these jobs, but parents who FORCE their kids into these jobs because they need money. If a kid wants to work as a grocery store bagger, babysit, mow lawns, or deliver papers, they can go for it. They shouldn’t be forced to work on an assembly line with a high injury rate.
Nuance is important here. "Can be" is not the same as "all are". Are ALL assembly lines and freezers high risk? Do they all have the same equipment, produce the same material, and have the same hazard levels? There are varying degrees of these positions and not all of them have complex and dangerous machinery to work. Every state has it's own labor jurisdiction to determine which types are appropriate for certain age groups. They will handle it with accordance to national laws.
Kids should learn valuable skills as young as they can to give themselves as much possible advantage
Over in Africa, kids are literally digging for rare earth minerals with hands tools. This method is the least overhead as possible. Its also carbon neutral.
Is there any way we can get a link to that article?
I could not find one, but I posted a link to an article about the Arkansas law change. That changed seemed pretty benign.
Other posters are now talking about details of laws from other states involving assembly lines and freezers, but I have no idea what's true and which states they are talking about. Thanks!
Nothing wrong with kids younger than 16 working. In CT (not sure if they still do this but they did when I was a kid), you could work tobacco at 14. Now THAT was hard work! Babysitting, lawn mowing and newspaper delivery were other jobs you could do before 16.
Of course in my day, stores closed well before 9pm so we didn't have the "no time to study issue". You'd be lucky to get a few hours of work in after school.
I think if the hours per week and how late they work is regulated it shouldn't be an issue.
IMO,
After elementary school, I think kids should work to earn their further schooling.
I worked for my dad doing construction and pouring concrete on the weekends and during summer vacation.
It was good for me to develop a good work ethic unlike many kids I knew that could not hold a job in their own family business.
The world does not owe you a living.
My husband and I worked growing up, so did our kids. I have 2 14/15 year olds working for our business right now. The kids want to work, they want to earn money. Their parents are happy that we are helping them by trying to mold them into responsible human beings. Just keeping them away from their phone 3 hours a day is a win for everyone. Plus learning to follow directions, polite interactions with other adults, learning new skills and getting more responsibility. It's all good.
"Last month, the Gov. of Arkansas, eliminated a requirement for 14 and 15YO's to have a state permit to get a job. The move is part of a broader push to loosen child labor laws by conservative state legislatures. The Iowa legislature is considering a bill that would allow 14YO's to work in industrial freezers and meat coolers, and allow 15YO's to work on assembly lines moving items that weigh up to 50 lbs. In Ohio, there's a push to allow 14 and 15YO's to work until 9pm during the school year, in violation of Federal laws, while the MN legislature is debating letting the construction industry recruit 16 and 17YO's."
"We're talking about teenagers working in dangerous plants and factories like in the 19th century."
"With the current labor shortage, employers can benefit too. Besides, kids spent too much time on social media, and too little growing up so anything reasonable that a state can do to make them easier to work is welcome."
What do you think? Pro's and Con's?
Personally, I think it's a good idea!
The problem with CLL's is that the young people subject to them are not given any say in the matter.
What would make more sense, is to make sure that anti-poverty and education funding measures are sufficient to make sure that young people have an opportunity to go to school instead of work. But the current CLL's treat any work as exploitative, which isn't necessarily so.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
