MERRICK, NEW YORK — Steven Mitchell Sack, “The Employee’s Lawyer,” said the Youth Workers Bill of Rights has been long overdue and also said it will help younger workers understand their rights.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul recently announced the release of the state’s first-ever Youth Workers Bill of Rights, which was developed by the state Department of Labor in partnership with the Education Department. The purpose of this bill is to educate employees under the age of 18 about their rights as workers. It also provides protections for teen workers, including the right to the following: the minimum wage; a safe and discrimination-free workplace; and file a complaint without fear of retaliation.
The Labor Department also established a new Youth Worker Information Hub online. There, younger workers can learn how many hours they are allowed to work during the school day, how to make sure they are being paid the proper minimum wage and which occupations they are forbidden to work.
Last year, the Protect Youth Workers Pledge for businesses was released. As part of the pledge, companies agreed to make the worker’s safety and well-being a priority, report any suspected child labor violations to the Child Labor Taskforce and educate their younger employees on their rights and how to detect signs of labor trafficking.
According to Attorney Sack, “Once school ends, teenagers are looking for a job in an effort to show their employer they are responsible, but also to put money in their pockets. The sad thing is, their workplace experience can be very disillusioning, especially when they are cheated out of the salary they deserve, they face harassment or they are asked to perform life-threatening, dangerous tasks. I urge all younger workers to educate themselves on what their rights are on the job.”
