Phoenix — Arizona’s child labor laws and rules will be evaluated by a newly formed task force, with the goal to update them “in light of today’s Arizona workplaces and school operations.”
The Industrial Commission of Arizona announced the creation of the Youth Labor Task Force on Jan. 30. The task force – which will be made up of leaders from the public and private sectors, industry organizations, and youth labor law – will also review “current external factors that influence youth labor.”
The group is charged with providing the commission with specific and actionable recommendations that will enhance youth labor conditions.
The formation of the state task force comes as commission members have noticed a rise in youth labor law infractions and a spate of outdated and ineffective administration provisions.
“I served as Industrial Commission chief counsel 40 years ago and represented the state labor department in child labor law cases,” ICA Chair Dennis Kavanaugh said in a press release. “Those laws were antiquated back then. … Our goal should be to strengthen protections for minors and provide better guidance for parents, employers and students.”
ICA labor director Melissa Spurgeon said the task force also aims to modernize enforcement mechanisms for youth labor law violators.
