In a significant legislative move, Michigan’s House of Representatives has passed a bill that could change how minors enter the workforce. The bill, passed on Wednesday, eliminates the need for work permits for children, aiming to simplify the hiring process for both young workers and their potential employers.
Currently, work permits are a prerequisite for children seeking employment, issued by schools before jobs can commence. However, come early October, this responsibility was to transition to state oversight. But the newly passed legislation seeks to bypass the permit requirement entirely, allowing employers to verify a minor’s age when hiring.
Bill sponsor Mike Hoadley (R-Au Gres) criticizes the existing permit system, describing it as cumbersome for families, educational institutions, and businesses. He emphasized, “By removing the mandatory permit process, House Bill 5727 reduces administrative burdens on families, schools, and small businesses while preserving all core protections for minors.”
The bill also proposes to broaden work opportunities for children under 16, capping their work at eight hours per day when school is out of session and limiting them to 18 hours of work per week, or a combination of 40 hours between school and work when school is in session.
Additionally, the bill introduces a waiver allowing minors to work overnight and under conditions that exceed normal health and safety standards if it is deemed to benefit both the minor and the community. More details can be found in the bill document.
However, the bill faced unanimous opposition from House Democrats. State Representative Betsy Coffia (D-Traverse City) expressed concerns, stating, “This bill unfortunately strips protections from child exploitation and trafficking and it actively reduces accountability for employers who do prey on a child’s vulnerability.”
In 2024, a Democrat-led Michigan Legislature had enacted stricter youth employment standards in response to reports of minors working in hazardous conditions, particularly among migrant communities. This was highlighted in a New York Times story.
Phil Skaggs (D-East Grand Rapids), who was instrumental in those prior regulations, criticized the new bill for lacking adequate oversight, saying, “Hope is not oversight and blind trust is not accountability. Our children deserve better.”
Conversely, Hoadley defended the bill, arguing that non-compliant employers likely disregard existing laws anyway and that the bill would not hinder positive employment experiences for minors. “Our kids deserve the chance to build skills, earn money for college or family needs, and contribute to their communities,” he asserted.
The bill’s future now rests with Michigan’s Democratic-controlled Senate, which may oppose the reversal of the work permit requirement previously supported.
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