YOUTH EMPLOYMENT: HOURS LIMIT

Senate Bill 179

Sponsor:  Sen. Tony Stamas

House Committee:  Commerce

Senate Committee:  Economic Development, Small Business and Regulatory Reform

Complete to 2-3-06

A SUMMARY OF SENATE BILL 179 AS PASSED BY THE SENATE 3-17-05

The bill would amend the Youth Employment Standards Act (MCL 409.111) to permit a 16- or 17-year-old to work up to 20 hours a week when school is in session.  Currently, when school is in session, a student who is 16 or 17 may not work a combined school and work week of more than 48 hours.

[The act also says that a minor may not work more than six days in one week; 10 hours in one day; 48 hours in a week or a period longer than a weekly average of eight hours per day.  These limitations would be retained but rewritten.  They do not apply to farming operations or agricultural processing, for which there are separate limitations.]

FISCAL IMPACT:

There is no fiscal impact on either the state or on local units of government.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION:

The Youth Employment Standards Act also provides that a minor 16 or older may not be employed between 10:30 p.m. and 6:00 a.m., although the minor may work until 11:30 on Fridays and Saturdays, during school vacation periods, and during periods when the minor is not regularly enrolled in school.

The limits in the act, however, do not apply to a 16- or 17-year-old who is employed in farming operations involved in the production of seed, or in agricultural processing, if all of the following conditions are met:  if the minor is a student, the employment occurs when school is not in session; the minor does not work more than 11 hours in one day; the minor is employed for not more than 62 hours in any week, although his or her employer may not require the minor to work more than 48 hours in any week without his or her consent; the minor is not employed between 2:00 a.m. and 5:30 a.m.; and the employer maintains on file a written acknowledgment of the minor's parent or guardian consenting to the employment.

                                                                                           Legislative Analyst:   Chris Couch

                                                                                                  Fiscal Analyst:   Richard Child

■ This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan House staff for use by House members in their deliberations, and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.