The Legislature says Alabama’s child labor laws should be updated to match federal rules and lists several intended changes for minors and employers.
The Legislature has found that Alabama law has not kept pace with federal standards regulating the employment of minors to the extent that it has become increasingly difficult for employers to comply with conflicting state and federal child labor requirements. Accordingly, numerous changes are necessary to make the child labor laws of Alabama compatible with the United States Department of Labor regulations governing the employment of minors in nonagricultural occupations. Similarly, there is also a need to remove anachronistic language and make clarifications to existing standards. In view of the foregoing findings, the Legislature through this chapter intends to do all of the following: (1) Conform with 17 federal hazardous orders. (2) Remove exemptions for domestic service and the grading or handling, or both, of agricultural products. (3) Add a restriction for occupations which involve working at heights exceeding six feet, as well as working in junk yards, scrap metal yards, or lumber yards. (4) Set hour restrictions which coincide with federal law for 14- and 15-year-olds. (5) Clarify waiver of school attendance which allows 14- and 15-year-olds to work until 9:00 p.m. (6) Require employers to post hour restrictions and work schedules for employees under 18 years of age, and add a meal break requirement for 14- and 15-year-olds. (7) Increase age requirements from 12 to 14 years of age to sell items on streets, and from 10 to 12 years of age to deliver newspapers. (8) More clearly define prohibited occupations and places of employment for minors under 18 years of age. (9) Prohibit persons under 18 years of age from performing nude or partially nude in any business establishment. (10) Exempt federally funded summer youth program personnel from obtaining work permits. (11) Add a “whistleblower” provision protecting employees and other individuals from being discriminated against as a result of disclosing information, making a charge, or refusing to obey an illegal order. (12) Increase the penalty for street trades violations from ten dollars ($10) to fifty dollars ($50) to one hundred dollars ($100) to five hundred dollars ($500) per violation. (13) Require reporting of names of child models under 18 years of age, placing responsibility on employers and parents for the care and schooling of the child and for ensuring that school performance will not suffer due to a child working.