Explaining The Arkansas Youth Hiring Act of 2023

Meaghan Kleine Blog

As we get older, it feels like adolescents appear younger. However, in the state of Arkansas, you might be right. In 2023, the state passed a new law stating that employers can hire fourteen and fifteen year olds without work permits and age verification.

Now, there are two sides to every story (or in this case, law). There are many young individuals who want to go to work, earn money, and save for their future. On the other hand, the legal system has witnessed corporations exploiting young workers and trying to bypass child labor laws.

So how do you know when a company is hiring young employees out of good will or false pretenses? This blog post will review the Youth Hiring Act of 2023 and everything parents or employees need to know about this recent Arkansas law.

 

Details Surrounding The Youth Hiring Act of 2023

The Youth Hiring Act of 2023 keeps the majority of child labor laws intact, but eliminates the need for child labor work permits, which helps authenticate the age of the adolescent employee. The idea behind this act was to eliminate “an arbitrary burden on parents to get permission from the government for their child to get a job,” according to the current governor of Arkansas, Sarah Huckabee Sanders.

However, there are still strict rules regarding employed teenagers between fourteen and sixteen years of age. Here is a list with some of the dangerous jobs that cannot hire teenagers:

  • Agricultural jobs
  • Construction work
  • Driving vehicles for transportation services
  • Operating or repairing dangerous machinery
  • Working with hazardous materials

This is not an extensive list, and potential employers and prospective applicants should review the child labor laws on The Arkansas Department of Labor and Licensing website.

 

 

Additionally, there are specific guidelines surrounding hours of work for adolescents:

  • Can only work between 6 A.M. to 7 P.M. on school nights. Weekends and holidays, adolescents are permitted to work til 9 P.M.
  • No more than 8 hour days or 48 hours a week.
  • Once a week, adolescents must have a day off. They cannot work 7 days in a row.

The regulations differ for individuals over 16 years of age. The Arkansas Youth Hiring Act of 2023 mainly changed the hiring process for 14 and 15 year old teenagers.

 

The Pros and the Cons of the Youth Hiring Act

The Youth Hiring Act of 2023 has been met with mixed reviews by Arkansas residents and national reporters alike. By eliminating the work permit permission slip that is required to be signed by parents or legal guardians, teenagers can secure a job. The earnings can help students pay for college, finance trips abroad, or purchase their own car.

 

 

But not everyone views this law as a positive act. Some people worry that the Youth Hiring Act can result in the weakening of child labor laws. This group of people agrees that young adolescents (14–16 years old) can have jobs, however, they should not be overworked and put in dangerous situations.

 

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Need a lawyer to represent a business law case? Look no further than Hickey & Hull. With 5 locations in Little Rock, Mena, Fayetteville, Fort Smith, and Russellville, our professional paralegals and attorneys are prepared to help you in court. Contact us today and schedule a consultation appointment! If you need a family, criminal, or employment lawyer, Hickey & Hull will be here to serve you.