Teens under age 16 no longer need a work permit through the Arkansas Department of Labor and Licensing before they can start a job.
to have children illegally working in a Tyson Foods plant in Green Forest and a George's plant in Batesville.The bill's sponsor, Rep. Rebecca Burkes , argued the permitting process amounts to red tape. She added that it's obsolete because it was put in place over 100 years ago, when child labor kept kids out of school.
Some legislators questioned why the work permit is needed at all if it's not shown to prevent employers from violating child labor laws and if requiring a government-issued permit undermines parental rights. Clint Penzo , the bill's other primary sponsor, pointed out that identification and, therefore, age verification is still needed to fill out required tax forms when starting a new job.Laura Kellams, NWA director for Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families, told legislators and Axios that she's not concerned about teens working at reputable businesses approved by their involved parents. Instead, she's worried about children at risk of exploitation.
Joshua Price, deputy director of immigrant advocacy group Arkansas United, told legislators requiring the forms makes it easier for the government to hold violators accountable. The process is an added layer of protection that makes it harder for an employer under investigation for hiring someone underage to claim ignorance.
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