LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Summer is a busy time for businesses in Central Arkansas, and it’s also the time where restaurants like Hill Station hire extra help— and sometimes that means teenagers.
“They start coming around after spring break, trying to line something up for the summer, which is great,” said Owner of Hill Station, Daniel Bryant.
Bryant explained how about 15 to 20 percent of his summer staff is teenagers and there's a process before they get hired.
“We would ask them to get the permit which would require a parent’s signature, and then a description of the type of work they'd be doing and the type of hours they would be working,” Bryant added.
Though that process will change once the ‘Youth Hiring Act’ goes into effect.
“What the law does is just remove that permission slip from the government,” said State Senator Joshua Bryant.
Teenagers between the ages of 14 and 16 will be able to work without that certificate and State Senator Bryant said that's a good thing.
“We need to reinstall a work ethic in our children, and removing those barriers and make it easier for employers to hire that child is why I supported the bill,” said State Senator Bryant.
While Daniel Bryant supports teenagers getting their foot in the door and getting a job, he said he doesn't support this law.
“What I don't understand is what was wrong with the old system,” said Bryant. “It never cost us any employees or cost any of the young people their jobs. It was just a matter of getting the parents involved and it also sort of held us accountable on the employer side.”
Supporters of the bill explained how kids will still be protected under existing child labor laws.
“If you have good actors and good employers that want to employ children over the age of 14 under the age of 16, then they can do that without the burden of a government permission slip,” said State Senator Bryant.
As a parent and business owner, Daniel Bryant feels this could take away some accountability.
“I do think that this removed a safeguard and to be honest I just don't understand why,” said Bryant.
Although this law goes into effect soon Daniel Bryant said it won’t change his process when it comes to hiring teenagers.
“We’re going to ask the same questions and we're going to behave the same because the underlying rules and stipulations don't change” he added.
For a list of other laws going into effect soon, click here.