During the Arkansas legislative session this year, lawmakers passed Act 195 or the Youth Hiring Act, which made changes to the labor laws regarding workers under the age of 16. The law went into effect this summer.
In an interview with Arkansas PBS’ Arkansas Week, Cara Butler, an attorney with Mitchell Williams Law Firm, said the law changed the hiring process businesses went through to hire young employees.
“In Arkansas, those who are 14 and 15, so youth, were required to get a work permit, also known as employment certification,” Butler said. “Basically, the certification outlined their age verification, it had to discuss what job they’d work, what employer they’d work for, their working positions and also it had to be signed by a parent or guardian. What Act 195 does is basically dispenses with the requirement.”
The legislature also passed Act 687, which increased the civil penalties for those who violate labor laws. The act also added criminal penalties for those who do violate child labor laws.
In an interview with Arkansas PBS’ Arkansas Week, Director of the Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families Keesa Smith said she is concerned about the timing of the law being passed.
“The timing, as noted, we are seeing more children illegally working in locations and jobs they shouldn’t work and in roles they shouldn’t work and hours they shouldn’t work,” Smith said. “It seems like it doesn’t make sense for Arkansas to be pulling back a sign-off that is a paper trail that says the employer knew this child was 14.”
Arkansas was not the only state that made changes to its laws regarding youth labor. According to NPR News, Iowa, Minnesota and New Jersey passed laws that loosened requirements for hiring minors.
