Florida Republican lawmakers to consider loosening child labor laws
Florida Republican lawmakers to consider loosening child labor laws Tampa Bay Times
sdgtalks
A Proposed Republican Bill to Loosen Child Labor Laws in Florida
ORLANDO, Fla. — A proposed Republican bill to loosen child labor laws in Florida is part of a national trend aimed at repealing or weakening workplace protections for young people that have been in place for more than 100 years.
The Impact on Graduation Rates and Lower-Income Families
The bill could worsen graduation rates and hurt lower-income families, experts said, and could also be a way to replace some immigrant labor as Florida and other GOP-led states continue to crack down on undocumented workers.
“Are we willing to return to a world where we accept that children of the poorest families are working more than full-time jobs under hazardous conditions?” said Jennifer Sherer, director of the Economic Analysis and Research Network at the nonprofit Economic Policy Institute.
State Rep. Linda Chaney, though, said in a statement that her bill “intends to provide teenagers with the flexibility to work whatever hours they deem fits best with their schedule and financial goals.”
“Families are struggling in the worst economy in decades and I want to do what I can to help by providing opportunity,” said Chaney, R-St. Petersburg. “Government should not be in the way of people wanting to learn skills and make a living.”
The Proposed Changes in the Bill (HB 49)
- Removal of all work guidelines for 16- and 17-year-olds, including restrictions on working hours on school nights and during the school year.
- Prevention of local governments from passing stricter ordinances than state law.
- A change in the language about 14- and 15-year-olds, replacing “shall not” with “may not” in relation to working hours.
The proposed language revision for younger teens is unclear, as it is uncertain whether it makes work standards for them “optional” rather than mandated.
The Significance of Child Labor Laws
Child labor laws were one of the premier achievements of the Progressive Era of the early 1900s, when presidents Theodore Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson helped usher in major changes to social and public policy at the state and national levels. Florida passed laws at the time to protect children working in cigar factories and in agriculture. But now, it’s the 16th state in the past few years to have legislation filed to roll back those protections, Sherer said.
“Those are state laws that have often been in place for over a century,” Sherer said. “States began regulating child labor before the federal government did. And they play a really important role in regulating certain aspects of child labor protections that the federal government doesn’t cover.”
The Impact on Immigration Laws
The loosening of child labor laws has been tied to labor shortages partially caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, but another reason could be the crackdown on undocumented workers, especially in the agriculture industry in Florida.
Earlier this year, Gov. Ron DeSantis signed what he called “the most ambitious anti-illegal immigration laws in the country,” which greatly expanded the number of businesses required to screen employees’ immigration status using the federal E-Verify system.
“These issues are very closely intertwined,” Sherer said. “The anti-immigrant legislation that Florida has put in place is jeopardizing the workforce in particular industries [such as agriculture and hospitality] where employers have long relied on those workers. There’s definitely a correlation there.”
Support from Think Tanks
Support for the bill is coming from several directions, including restaurant and lodging organizations as well as the Florida-based nonprofit group Foundation for Government Accountability, which has backed many similar bills across the country.
“They’ve really prioritized trying to roll back those standards at the state level, with a strong interest in eventually trying to weaken federal standards as well,” Sherer said.
The Shortcomings of Weakening Child Labor Laws
In the end, the proposed changes in Florida and around the country were seen as a shortsighted solution to the labor situation. Experts argue that employers should focus on providing better working conditions rather than turning to underage workers.
“If employers are having a hard time attracting people, they should try to provide better working conditions before they turn to 15-year-olds. Once you weaken laws in response to some temporary situation, it’s not likely that they’re going to be switched back,” said Terri Gerstein, a fellow at the Center for Labor and a Just Economy at Harvard Law School.
______
©2023 Orlando Sentinel. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
| SDGs | Targets | Indicators |
|---|---|---|
| SDG 4: Quality Education | 4.1 By 2030, ensure that all girls and boys complete free, equitable and quality primary and secondary education leading to relevant and effective learning outcomes | – No specific indicators mentioned in the article |
| SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth | 8.7 Take immediate and effective measures to eradicate forced labor, end modern slavery and human trafficking and secure the prohibition and elimination of the worst forms of child labor, including recruitment and use of child soldiers, and by 2025 end child labor in all its forms | – Child labor violations reported by the Federal Labor Department – Cases of minors working in dangerous jobs |
| SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities | 10.2 By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other status | – Impact on lower-income families due to worsened graduation rates |
| SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions | 16.2 End abuse, exploitation, trafficking and all forms of violence against and torture of children | – Proposed bill to loosen child labor laws |
1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?
SDG 4: Quality Education, SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth, SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities, and SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article.
2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?
- Under SDG 4: Quality Education, the target of ensuring that all girls and boys complete free, equitable, and quality primary and secondary education leading to relevant and effective learning outcomes (Target 4.1) can be identified.
- Under SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth, the target of eradicating forced labor, ending modern slavery and human trafficking, and eliminating the worst forms of child labor (Target 8.7) can be identified.
- Under SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities, the target of empowering and promoting the social, economic, and political inclusion of all individuals, irrespective of age (Target 10.2) can be identified.
- Under SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions, the target of ending abuse, exploitation, trafficking, and violence against children (Target 16.2) can be identified.
3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?
- For SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth, indicators mentioned in the article include child labor violations reported by the Federal Labor Department and cases of minors working in dangerous jobs.
- For SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities, an indicator mentioned in the article is the impact on lower-income families due to worsened graduation rates.
- No specific indicators are mentioned in the article for SDG 4: Quality Education and SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions.
4. SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
| SDGs | Targets | Indicators |
|---|---|---|
| SDG 4: Quality Education | 4.1 By 2030, ensure that all girls and boys complete free, equitable and quality primary and secondary education leading to relevant and effective learning outcomes | No specific indicators mentioned in the article |
| SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth | 8.7 Take immediate and effective measures to eradicate forced labor, end modern slavery and human trafficking and secure the prohibition and elimination of the worst forms of child labor, including recruitment and use of child soldiers, and by 2025 end child labor in all its forms | – Child labor violations reported by the Federal Labor Department – Cases of minors working in dangerous jobs |
| SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities | 10.2 By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other status | Impact on lower-income families due to worsened graduation rates |
| SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions | 16.2 End abuse, exploitation, trafficking and all forms of violence against and torture of children | Proposed bill to loosen child labor laws |
Behold! This splendid article springs forth from the wellspring of knowledge, shaped by a wondrous proprietary AI technology that delved into a vast ocean of data, illuminating the path towards the Sustainable Development Goals. Remember that all rights are reserved by SDG Investors LLC, empowering us to champion progress together.
Source: tampabay.com
Join us, as fellow seekers of change, on a transformative journey at https://sdgtalks.ai/welcome, where you can become a member and actively contribute to shaping a brighter future.
