Child Labor Restriction Bill

[MasterJedi]

Child Labor Restriction Bill


Section 1: Applicability
1. This statute shall only apply in the District of Columbia and in federal territories which do not form part of any region.

Section 2: Definitions
1. The following definitions shall apply throughout this statute:
a.) A "school day" is defined as a day that contains more than two hours of classroom instruction.
b.) A "school week" is defined as any week (beginning noon Sunday) that contains two or more school days.
c.) "Work" is defined as receiving financial compensation for services rendered.

Section 3: Minors aged 15 to 17
1. Minors aged fifteen to seventeen years may not:
a.) Work more than 40 hours in a non-school week, and no more than 20 hours in a school week.
b.) Work more than 8 hours in a non-school day, and no more than 4 hours in a school day.
c.) Work more than 6 days in a non-school week, and no more than 4 days in a school week.

Section 4: Children aged less than 15
1. Employment of children aged less than fifteen years is prohibited, except those over the age of 13 years, who may work only as a newspaper carrier, and for no more than 10 hours in a week.

Section 5: Hours of Work
1. Employment of any person under the age of eighteen years between the hours of midnight and 6 a.m. is prohibited.

Section 6: Type of Employment
1. Employment of minors in any place that sells alcohol, except a supermarket or other general provisions store, is prohibited.
2. Employment of minors in work that requires the use of heavy machinery is prohibited.
3. The Secretary of the Treasury may additionally prohibit employment of minors in certain jobs that it considers hazardous as he or she finds necessary.

Section 7: Penalties
1. Any employer in violation of Sections 3, 5 or 6 shall be fined between $500 and $1000 for each infraction.
2. Any employer in violation of Section 4 shall be fined between $2000 and $10000 for each infraction.

Section 8: Exemptions
1. Parents may employ their own children to work in the home or at the place of their own business, except in prohibited types of employment specified in Section 6.
___________________________________________________________

Sponsor: Sen. MasterJedi

[MasterJedi]

This could have been up two days ago. I missed that, 4 bills were up and one was in the fifth slot so we get this now, enjoy.

[Jake]

Horrendously restrictive bill.

[jerusalemcar5]

Of course I'll be voting nay.  There shouldn't be any more restrictions of work for 14-17 than the current mandatory schooling laws.

[MasterJedi]

I hereby open up the final vote on this bill. Please vote Aye, Nay or Abstain.

Section 1: Applicability
1. This statute shall only apply in the District of Columbia and in federal territories which do not form part of any region.

Section 2: Definitions
1. The following definitions shall apply throughout this statute:
a.) A "school day" is defined as a day that contains more than two hours of classroom instruction.
b.) A "school week" is defined as any week (beginning noon Sunday) that contains two or more school days.
c.) "Work" is defined as receiving financial compensation for services rendered.

Section 3: Minors aged 15 to 17
1. Minors aged fifteen to seventeen years may not:
a.) Work more than 40 hours in a non-school week, and no more than 20 hours in a school week.
b.) Work more than 8 hours in a non-school day, and no more than 4 hours in a school day.
c.) Work more than 6 days in a non-school week, and no more than 4 days in a school week.

Section 4: Children aged less than 15
1. Employment of children aged less than fifteen years is prohibited, except those over the age of 13 years, who may work only as a newspaper carrier, and for no more than 10 hours in a week.

Section 5: Hours of Work
1. Employment of any person under the age of eighteen years between the hours of midnight and 6 a.m. is prohibited.

Section 6: Type of Employment
1. Employment of minors in any place that sells alcohol, except a supermarket or other general provisions store, is prohibited.
2. Employment of minors in work that requires the use of heavy machinery is prohibited.
3. The Secretary of the Treasury may additionally prohibit employment of minors in certain jobs that it considers hazardous as he or she finds necessary.

Section 7: Penalties
1. Any employer in violation of Sections 3, 5 or 6 shall be fined between $500 and $1000 for each infraction.
2. Any employer in violation of Section 4 shall be fined between $2000 and $10000 for each infraction.

Section 8: Exemptions
1. Parents may employ their own children to work in the home or at the place of their own business, except in prohibited types of employment specified in Section 6.

[MasterJedi]

Aye

[WMS]

Aye. Boy, intense debate over this one.

[Democratic Hawk]

I seem to recall voting in favor of a similar, if not the same piece of legislation, back in the days of the Southeast Regional Assembly, so I can hardly vote any other way in the Senate. True it is restrictive but it's for all the right reasons. I, therefore, vote Aye on this Bill

'Hawk'

[jerusalemcar5]

NAY.  Blatant discrimination.  I can decide when I want to work, thanks anyways.

[Ebowed]

NAY.  Blatant discrimination.

So is having a voting age and an age of consent, then.

[Јas]

Aye

[ilikeverin]

Yup

[jerusalemcar5]

NAY.  Blatant discrimination.

So is having a voting age and an age of consent, then.

This is worse, but truly yes on both of those counts, though the differences between a teenager and a toddler have to be recognized.

[Jake]

Nay, reasons given below.

Section 1: Applicability
1. This statute shall only apply in the District of Columbia and in federal territories which do not form part of any region.

Section 2: Definitions
1. The following definitions shall apply throughout this statute:
a.) A "school day" is defined as a day that contains more than two hours of classroom instruction.
b.) A "school week" is defined as any week (beginning noon Sunday) that contains two or more school days.
c.) "Work" is defined as receiving financial compensation for services rendered.

Section 3: Minors aged 15 to 17
1. Minors aged fifteen to seventeen years may not:
a.) Work more than 40 hours in a non-school week, and no more than 20 hours in a school week.
Would cause many businesses (any that employs teens) to A. hire more workers, increasing training costs and lowering efficiency for a period; or B. restrict the hours that they are open, lowering profit and decreasing tax revenue.
b.) Work more than 8 hours in a non-school day, and no more than 4 hours in a school day.
See above. Personal anecdote, I know this would remove any possibility of the theater where I work getting a movie over about 2 hours, as there's no time to fit prepping for a movie, the movie playing, and cleaning up into four hours. I'm guessing that's true for a lot of businesses. I also don't see why restrictions need be in place for non-school days. Do you think teens can't conclude that working 12 hours on a weekend might not be in their best interest?
c.) Work more than 6 days in a non-school week, and no more than 4 days in a school week.
I don't see why this needs to be in place either. Why shouldn't teens work every day in a week with or without school?

Section 4: Children aged less than 15
1. Employment of children aged less than fifteen years is prohibited, except those over the age of 13 years, who may work only as a newspaper carrier, and for no more than 10 hours in a week.
I don't see why this need be in place either. Few businesses would hire an under 15 to work (mostly because of transportation issues), but if there is a job they can do, why not let them?

Section 5: Hours of Work
1. Employment of any person under the age of eighteen years between the hours of midnight and 6 a.m. is prohibited.
Personal anecdote again, this would remove any possibility of showing most movies twice on weekend nights where I work, as we almost always get out at 12-12:30, sometimes 1. I don't see what the harm in that is.

Section 6: Type of Employment
1. Employment of minors in any place that sells alcohol, except a supermarket or other general provisions store, is prohibited.
I can see why this would be included.
2. Employment of minors in work that requires the use of heavy machinery is prohibited.
This too, though it should be decided by the worker and employer whether the worker is capable of handling such work. Define "heavy machinery" too.
3. The Secretary of the Treasury may additionally prohibit employment of minors in certain jobs that it considers hazardous as he or she finds necessary.
Horrendous discretionary power.

Section 7: Penalties
1. Any employer in violation of Sections 3, 5 or 6 shall be fined between $500 and $1000 for each infraction.
2. Any employer in violation of Section 4 shall be fined between $2000 and $10000 for each infraction.
Extremely stiff penalties too.

Section 8: Exemptions
1. Parents may employ their own children to work in the home or at the place of their own business, except in prohibited types of employment specified in Section 6.
Now, why can teens work for their parents in these jobs, but not for someone who isn't a parent? Why not legal relatives, or family friends, etc?

In summary, I see no reason why this bill is needed at all. It's a blatant attempt to put some senator's subjective preferences into law, without good reason. Pretty stupid.

[bgwah]

aye

[Democratic Hawk]

It's a blatant attempt to put some senator's subjective preferences into law, without good reason. Pretty stupid.

Actually, it isn't. Senator MasterJedi introduced this Bill for the President. And as for 'subjective preferences', that is the kind of line I expect from Opebo not you

'Hawk'

[MasterJedi]

This bill has enough votes to pass. Senators now have 24 hours to change their votes.

[Virginian87]

Aye, for the record.

[Jake]

It's a blatant attempt to put some senator's subjective preferences into law, without good reason. Pretty stupid.

Actually, it isn't. Senator MasterJedi introduced this Bill for the President. And as for 'subjective preferences', that is the kind of line I expect from Opebo not you

'Hawk'

How are these provisions not subjective?

Answer the questions I posed in my post and try to defend the provisions of this bill.

[MasterJedi]

With 7 Ayes, 2 Nays and 0 Abstentions I hereby present this to the President for his signiture.


I know I'm not PPT anymore but I guess I'm Dean now and no Q so here we go. This had enough votes to pass while I was gone so it can be signed now and not reintroduced.

[Ebowed]

Jake made a good case.

VETO

[Democratic Hawk]

Jake made a good case.

VETO

Maybe so, but don't you have any confidence in your own case given the fact it's your Bill?

Still, given that you have seemingly gone full circle in the past on such issues as abortion and free trade, this veto doesn't, in the least bit, surprise me

'Hawk'

[MasterJedi]

I'll be going for a veto override.

[Virginian87]

I'll be going for a veto override.

Second the motion.

[Ebowed]

Oh, brother.  "Passing" the bill after the Senate session has ended is one thing, but holding a veto override with a new set of Senators is even more tacky.

Maybe so, but don't you have any confidence in your own case given the fact it's your Bill?

I have not been reluctant to veto my own legislation before, if I am convinced that it is no longer a good idea or that it has become unacceptable through the Senate's amendments, and the former was the case here.

Still, given that you have seemingly gone full circle in the past on such issues as abortion and free trade, this veto doesn't, in the least bit, surprise me

Well, I'm glad you've had the exact same position on every issue since you were politically aware.  Sorry for not living up to your standards.