As Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders this week signed a new bill to make it simpler for kids under the age of 16 to get hired, Arkansas is removing some child labour laws.
The new regulation is a part of a campaign by several states to relax laws against child labour at a time when the labour market is still strong and the unemployment rate is at its lowest level since 1969. While Iowa lawmakers are discussing legislation that would enable 14 and 15-year-olds to work in freezers and meat refrigerators, which is presently illegal, a plan in Minnesota would allow 16 and 17-year-olds to work in the construction business.
According to CBS affiliate KNOE, the Arkansas law, known as the Youth Hiring Act, eliminates the requirement that children under the age of 16 obtain an employment certificate before being hired. This certificate verifies the child’s age, outlines the work they will perform, and provides written consent from the child’s parent or guardian.
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