Why Doesn’t the Left Want Teenagers to Work?
- BY FGA
For generations, that first job for teenagers was a symbol of independence, freedom, and pending adulthood. It was a way for teenagers to support themselves and their families and take on more responsibilities as they get closer and closer to leaving the nest. And it was a way to build a resume without having to take unpaid internships after taking on tens of thousands of dollars in student debt.
Nowadays, saying you support teenagers being able to find a job will get you labeled as a robber baron by the media elite, who make those outlandish claims while ironically typing on a phone or computer likely made by children in sweatshops overseas.
Why the media outrage? It doesn’t make sense!
In many states, teenagers need permission from the local school district and/or a state bureaucratic agency in order to get a job. It often doesn’t matter if these teenagers are homeschooled or trying to find summer work—a work permit is still required. Over the years, 16 states have decided these permits are unnecessary hurdles to teenage employment, because the decision about a job should be made by teenagers and their parents—not bureaucrats and school administrators.
These requirements go above and beyond what federal child labor protections require under the Fair Labor Standards Acts. Even if a state were to remove a requirement for a permit, federal protections would remain untouched, and children would be protected.
Research by the Foundation for Government Accountability (FGA) found that the teenage workforce participation rate increased dramatically in the early summer of 2021 with nearly one-third of teenagers employed. At this time, nearly 11 million jobs remained available as a result of the labor crisis. This labor shortage shed light on teenagers’ eagerness to join the workforce and likely led to the unemployment rate reaching less than 10 percent for teenagers aged 16 to 19, the lowest since 1953.
Delaying the hiring process for teenage workers with unnecessary permits cuts off a critical source of a state’s workforce. Removing this burden can modernize the workforce and help fill the nearly 10 million open jobs across the country.
Teenagers working is ok—as long as it’s not in a red state
It’s worth noting that cities like Chicago, New York, and Milwaukee run youth employment programs where teenagers are encouraged to work, yet New York Mayor Eric Adams has managed to avoid the sweatshop allegations that red states like Florida and Arkansas now face. Oregon, as the only blue state in which teenagers are free to work if they choose, has also managed to escape without national criticism for its youth work policies (also ironic, since it’s home to Nike).
What FGA experts are saying
Tarren Bragdon for Wall Street Journal: Democrats Peddle a ‘Child Labor’ Deception
How desperate are Democrats to hold on to suburban voters, especially moms? So desperate that they’re peddling the lie that Republicans are bringing back child labor. Democrats and their media allies have repeated this falsehood since the start of the year, most recently targeting my home state of Florida.
In mid-September, Republican state Rep. Linda Chaney filed legislation that would give more Florida teens the ability to work. Sixteen- and 17-year-olds would no longer be banned from working more than 30 hours a week during the school year. They could also work overtime on Sunday and school holidays, which is currently illegal. If this bill passed, the federal government’s strong child-labor laws would still be in full effect. Teens would be expected to give priority to their education, while simultaneously gaining more opportunities to learn by doing.
Nick Stehle for National Review: Fight D.C.’s Teen-Crime Wave with Teen Work
A mandatory curfew. That’s the newest way in which Washington, D.C., is attempting to solve a troubling rise in crime, especially crime committed by teenagers. Since September 1, teenagers under 17 years old have been banned from leaving their homes between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. in seven neighborhoods. Yet instead of essentially locking teens in their homes at night, the city should try a real solution: empowering teens to get jobs during the day.
Nick Stehle for Fox News: California Doesn’t Care About Empowering Families. My State Does.
As parents of four, few things matter more to my wife and me than encouraging our children to learn the skills and responsibilities that come with work. Our oldest are 15 and 11, and we’re constantly trying to impress upon them the value of a dollar earned, how to budget and give generously, and the difference between needs and wants. Those lessons are easier to pick up in that all-important first job during high school.
Our leaders in Arkansas want to help. On March 8, Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders signed a law repealing our youth-permitting system. Before, teenagers younger than 16 had to ask state authorities for permission to get a summer or weekend job. The process required filling out a form, getting signatures from parents and businesses, mailing it to the Department of Labor and Licensing, and waiting for approval from Little Rock. Now that barrier is broken, even as Arkansas still limits how many hours teenagers can work and federal child labor laws are still in effect.
Alli Fick and Haley Holik for USA Today: Teens are missing out on jobs. And your state could be to blame.
As the end of the school year approaches, this summer break won’t be as rewarding as it should be for millions of teenagers. Most states block teens from finding their first job and best path in life.
Fortunately, some states have started to break these barriers, but more should follow suit. Every teenager deserves to discover the lifelong benefits that come with early work.
The idea of the working teenager is as old as America itself, but now they are increasingly rare. Only 36% of those ages 16 to 19 participated in the labor force at the end of 2021, down from almost 60% in the late 1970s.
