Overview

• Florida lawmakers are debating a bill that would permit 14-year-olds to work overnight shifts on school days, loosening current child labor restrictions.
• The proposed legislation would also remove guaranteed meal breaks for 16- and 17-year-olds and lift work hour limits for home-schooled teens aged 14 and 15.
• Governor Ron DeSantis supports the changes, framing them as a solution to labor shortages caused by strict immigration policies, including mandatory E-Verify for employers.
• Critics warn that the changes could lead to increased exploitation and health risks for teenagers, noting a tripling of child labor violations in the state in recent years.
• Florida has already eased child labor protections, including a 2023 law allowing home-schooled 16- and 17-year-olds to work any hour of the day.