Madison, WI– The Wisconsin State Senate voted today to approve legislation authored by Sen. Mary Felzkowski (R-Tomahawk) that will extend employment opportunities for minors.
SB 332 will expand the allowable work hours for 14 and 15 year olds to between 6:00 a.m. and 9:30 p.m. on a day preceding a school day, and between 6:00 a.m. and 11:00 p.m. on a day preceding a non-school day. This bill will apply to small businesses that are not covered by the Federal Labor Standards Act (FLSA), and will also require that minors under the age of 16 who are employed after 10:00 p.m. receive at least eight consecutive hours of rest between shifts.
“The idea for this bill came from a small business owner in town who ran into staffing issues during summer hours due to their young employees not being able to work past 9 p.m. Many other small businesses throughout Wisconsin rely on young people to fill out their workforce, especially within the tourism industry of the Northwoods. This will provide businesses with more flexibility when it comes to staffing, and more importantly, will allow young people to earn extra money and build a responsible work ethic.”
SB 332 awaits a vote in the Assembly Committee on Labor and Integrated Employment.
