The U.S. Department of Labor has proposed big changes to the child labor regulations under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act. The DOL’s proposed rules would expand the list of jobs considered to be “particularly hazardous”—and off-limits—for 16- and 17-year-olds (and younger workers) to include working at poultry slaughtering plants, riding as passengers on forklifts, fighting forest fires, and loading and operating non-paper products balers and compacters. The DOL also seeks to expand employment opportunities for 14- and 15-year-olds in industries like advertising, banking, and information technology. Currently, these early teens can only work in retail, food service, or gasoline service establishments. The proposal would also for the first time permit these young teens to perform work of a mental or artistically creative nature, such as computer programming, software development, tutoring, serving as a peer counselor or teacher’s assistant, singing, playing a musical instrument, and drawing. For more information, or to submit comments to the DOL on the draft rules visit the DOL website.
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