Don't Relax Child Labor Laws in Missouri

I urge you to oppose HB1795 (Hinman), SB1057 (Schroer), HB2271 (Copeland), and any similar bills, which would relax child labor laws, and no longer require children to obtain a work permit to seek employment. This bill would end the requirement for employers to obtain a work permit from the school for children to be employed at their business and would instead rely on a parental permission slip. One of the problems with this whole debate is that legislators extol the value of teen work, but that’s not really the issue because Missouri already allows teens to work. The issue is whether that work is going to be protected and limited to reasonable hours that don't harm the child. Child labor violations across the US are soaring. Last year, the Labor Department reported a 69% increase in children being employed illegally since 2018. At a time when we’re seeing such egregious child labor violations, we need to be strengthening protections, not weakening them. Missouri kids need to focus on their education and on enjoying their childhood. Work permits are an important safeguard to ensure child labor was not exploited by corporations. The permit process helps protect minors because it means a state official reviews the applications and ensures they are old enough to work and that the job is safe. Removing these safeguards is a dangerous step back in time. Please oppose this bill.