A bill approved by the Wisconsin Assembly on Thursday would allow children under 16 to work longer hours during the more busy summer months. The Wisconsin Senate approved the bill last October and has gained backing from the hospitality and grocery industries in the state. First District Representative Joel Kitchens says the bill would allow 14 and 15-year olds to work until 11 pm when they don’t have school the next day. He says it is a small measure to help small businesses in Door County that faced labor shortages during the busy tourism season last year.
The current law states that they cannot work past 7 pm during the school week and 9 pm in the summer months. The new legislation would not affect businesses covered by the federal Fair Labor Standards Act, including those with annual sales over $500,000. Kitchens does not know if Governor Tony Evers will sign the bill into law. According to the Associated Press, the AFL-CIO opposes the bill, claiming it would roll back child labor protection laws and that supporters have failed to show why the change is needed.
