Too many kids are working potentially dangerous jobs, according to some Ohio House Democrats. And they said they’ll introduce a bill to crack down on that, because they said federal laws to prevent it are being ignored.
Rep. Lauren McNally (D-Youngstown) said kids under 18 have been found working long hours and in Ohio restaurants, factories and processing plants. She added child labor laws are not being enforced in many cases.
“One person’s profits are not more important than the future of this state or our children. Ohio can and needs to do better,” McNally said.
McNally said children should not be counted on to fill many of the jobs that are in the highest demand.
“Do you know where our workforce shortages are? It’s nurses, home health care aides, truck drivers and freight movers. Children literally cannot do these jobs,” McNally said.
McNally’s “Clock Out Kids Act” would require the Ohio Department of Commerce to perform audits of work permits that go to kids, increase fines for violations, and require school employees to report suspected labor violations.
McNally’s colleague, Rep. Erika White (D-Springfield Twp.) said kids should be in school, not in the workforce.
“Children who labor rather than learn are more likely to grow into adults who lack the necessary skills to secure meaningful employment, thereby trapping them and their families in a debilitating cycle of economic hardship,” White said.
The bill is new and hasn’t been assigned a number yet. Democrats are deep in the minority in the legislature, so the bill’s future is unclear.
