Florida teenagers could soon be working night shifts before school day and earning less than the minimum wage, as lawmakers consider changes to child labor laws that would allow minors to work longer hours. This comes amid a growing worker shortage, worsened by a decrease in migrant labor due to strict immigration policies.
On Tuesday, a state Senate panel approved a proposal to relax rules for 16- and 17-year-olds. Under the new proposal, teens could work before 6:30 a.m. and after 11 p.m. on school days. They could also work more than eight hours a day or 30 hours a week while attending school. The proposal would also remove the requirement for teens to take a 30-minute break when working eight-hour shifts.
The plan would also loosen some rules for 14- and 15-year-olds who are homeschooled or enrolled in virtual schools, the Tallahassee Democrat reports..
Another bill being considered in the state House would allow teens working as interns or trainees to be paid less than the state’s minimum wage of $13 an hour, which is set to increase to $15 an hour next year.
Supporters of the bill say it will help teens gain valuable work experience and skills. But critics argue that it could lead to child exploitation and interfere with their education.
Florida has been facing a worker shortage. According to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, there are only 53 workers for every 100 open jobs in the state.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed a law in 2023 to crack down on undocumented workers by punishing employers who hire them. Florida also prevents local governments from giving drivers’ licenses to undocumented immigrants.
The move has impacted industries such as tourism, agriculture, and construction, all of which depend heavily on migrant workers.
During a recent conversation with Tom Homan, President Trump’s former border czar, DeSantis suggested that teens could help fill jobs once held by undocumented workers.
“They said, ‘Oh, you’re not going to be able to hire people,’” DeSantis said. “What’s wrong with expecting, like, our young people to be working part time now? I mean, that’s how it used to be when I was growing up.”
DeSantis pointed to Florida’s resorts, which he believes could offer job opportunities for teens.
“Why do we say we need to import foreigners … when you know teenagers used to work at these resorts?” he said. “College students should be working too. It’s like, you go $30,000 in debt, you just take loans, you’re not expected to work at all. I think the priorities have been jumbled, and I think there’s absolutely people that would be able to do.”
Other states with Republican leadership, including Arkansas, Kentucky, and Alabama have also moved to ease youth labor laws to address worker shortages.
