Should Ohio Teens Work Late Nights?

(WKBN) – The Ohio legislature is considering legislation to allow teens ages 14 and 15 to work long hours during the school year. It has already passed the state Senate and is under consideration in the House of Representatives. Some companies that employ young people support it, some don’t.

“I think a lot of young kids want to do this. They’re a little more mature,” said John Barker, president of the Ohio Restaurant Association.

The Ohio Restaurant Association was one of the first organizations to propose allowing teenagers to work long hours.

“We started talking to them over a year ago after we got through the pandemic,” Barker said.

Senate Bill 30, as it is known, allows teenagers aged 14 and 15 to work from 7 to 9 pm during the school year. Now they cannot work after 7pm. Also, it must be signed by the parent and the principal to allow the student to work.

“As you know, there are about 23,000 foodservice locations throughout Ohio. They are asking us to find creative ways to get more people into the workforce,” says Barker. says Mr.

Democratic Rep. Lauren McNally said, “I don’t think children should be the solution to the labor shortage problem. That’s what they’re trying to do with this bill.”

Instead of making it easier for teenagers to work, McNally said, we need higher wages, better benefits, and easier work for women.

“It’s archaic in my opinion. It’s industrial, it’s pre-industrial. Child labor laws have been enacted for 100 years specifically to protect children,” McNally said.

McNally will conduct audits of businesses that employ minors, increase fines for businesses that violate child labor laws from $50,000 to $150,000, and report violations to school employees proposed to add three amendments to require

“You don’t have to go into jobs that are very dangerous for them at a very young age,” McNally said.

“A lot of the time it’s a learning moment. You get a little bit of guidance. Even as a young person, you learn how to interact with the masses and the skills you have as you move through life,” says Barker. said.

The House Committee on Commerce and Labor is scheduled to vote on the bill on Tuesday. That could be a full vote in the House on Wednesday. We reached out to the governor’s spokesperson to see how he stands on the issue.