Alabama House passes bill ending school permission form for young teens to work

The Alabama House of Representatives Tuesday passed a bill that would remove school approval from the requirements for young teenagers to hold jobs.

SB 53, sponsored by Sen. Arthur Orr, R-Decatur,would end a requirement for an “eligibility to work form,” signed by a head administrator, counselor or home-school instructor for a 14- or 15-year-old to work. The bill passed the House 75-17. 

“This is more of a parental rights thing, where a parent could decide if they see fit for their child to work three hours a day. They don’t have to get permission from the school, but they do have to report to the school that the child is working,” said Rep. Susan DuBose, R-Hoover, who handled the bill in the House.

The bill would not impact other child labor laws, such as the maximum number of hours a child could work. 14- and 15-year-olds can work up to three hours a day, for a maximum of 18 hours a week. Over the summer, they would be able to work up to 40 hours a week. 

The House removed a requirement that those under 18 inform their parents of their employment status. The House added in committee that the bill would require the parent or guardian to notify and provide employer information to the head administrator or counselor.

At an Alabama House committee meeting, a divide over a student exclusion bill

The version that came out of the Senate had a requirement that the Alabama Department of Labor provide an annual report to the Legislature on minors employed, cases of injury, and criminal charges, convictions, administrative proceedings, and lawsuits related to labor violations. The House committee removed it.

Rep. Laura Hall, D-Huntsville, said she was surprised that education groups would support the bill, and that she was concerned that the bill removes requirements that the school certify their eligibility to work. 

“We’re in a big thing now talking about training, getting the workforce, but yet we’re saying it’s okay that whether or not that child is meeting its schoolwork or activities, that it’s okay. That that does not matter,” Hall said. 

DuBose said that schools would still need to be notified that the student is working.

“We see it as a parent’s rights decision. You don’t have the school deciding whether the kid is going to play baseball or football, or travel,” DuBose said.

The bill goes back to the Senate for consideration of House changes.