Wisconsin Republicans are proposing a bill that would do away with work permit requirements for 14- and 15-year-olds in the state.

The Wisconsin GOP won’t stop until there are mandatory 40hr weeks for 14yr-olds or something.

From the article:

The proposal comes amid a wider push by state lawmakers to roll back child labor laws and despite the efforts of federal investigators to crack down on a surge in child labor violations nationally.

Under current law, 14- and 15-year-olds in Wisconsin are prohibited from working most jobs unless they have permission from a parent or guardian and have verified their age with the state Department of Workforce Development. The department can revoke youth work permits at any time if it believes a child’s safety is being threatened.

  • ℛ𝒶𝓋ℯ𝓃English
    -7•1 year ago

    You say this like kids would be forced to work. I’m very liberal, but child labor laws shouldn’t exist except to make sure that 1) the kid actually consents to working and 2) the parents can’t take the kid’s money. I grew up in a household where my very Christian parents used not being able to legally work as a tool to keep me home and indoctrinate me. I was forcibly homeschooled, and work was my only interaction with other beliefs and political views, which couldn’t start until age 16 for me. Then when I could work, really short hour limitations kept me from affording a car.

    My point is that children should not be forced to work by the parents, government, or economic situation - but they shouldn’t be forced to not work either. Especially for cases where the only way to get out of a toxic family situation is to leave at 18 - which isn’t always economically feasible because they can’t legally work enough.