In 2023, the state rolled back its previous protections for child labor, despite a 266% rise in violations from 2020 to 2023.
Nina Mast, a policy analyst at the Economic Policy Institute, said these protections are important for young workers. She said permits keep employers compliant with state labor laws, inform parents of the job duties and create a dedicated paper trail for enforcement.
“It’s not a burdensome process,” she said. “It creates some work for the employers, schools and labor agencies, but it’s worth it.”
States that required children to get work permits had 15% fewer workplace violations between 2008 and 2020, according to a University of Maryland study.