As West Virginia faces a decades-long workforce crisis and an exodus of young people from the state, lawmakers are advancing a bill that would make it easier for 14 and 15-year-olds to enter the labor force.
On Wednesday morning, the House Workforce Development Committee advanced HB 5159, a bill to remove the state requirement that minors under 16 obtain work permits, documents that require several layers of approval from an employer, a parent or guardian, the youth’s school, and county school officials.
The permits would be replaced with an age certificate, a less detailed document that confirms that a minor is at least 14 before they can start working. Minors 16 and older already use age certificates for employment in West Virginia.
Prior to voting, lawmakers on the committee asked counsel if there’s any data on younger workers dropping out of school, the difference between work permits and age certificates, and if only having age certificates would affect the state’s ability to enforce child labor laws. No lawmakers spoke against the bill and it passed out of committee unanimously.
“I was concerned about this violating federal code when I initially looked at it, but this is a phenomenal bill,” said Del. Geoff Foster, R-Putnam.
State and federal law already allows 14 and 15-year-olds to work, and even minors 13 and younger can work in specific circumstances. The laws do limit youth under 16 to certain jobs and number of hours.
Foster said that current employment paperwork is burdensome for youth and their parents.
“I think this is something that is not only beneficial to kids looking for employment or a job after school, but also for the parents, not having to go through an onerous process,” Foster said.
Lawmakers argued that the measure would be helpful for young people in the state by exposing them to the workforce and helping them build soft skills.
“Our kids need to learn some work ethic,” said Del. Kathie Hess Crouse, R-Putnam.
Amid a larger labor shortage, youth workforce development is a problem in West Virginia.
But the fix isn’t necessarily getting younger people into paid jobs. Experts on the topic say that education and specific job skills training would help students enter the workforce after graduation.
The Charleston-based Tuesday Morning Group, a faith-based collective of local community leaders and activists, has proposed a list of recommendations that includes building more support for at-risk youth, helping middle and high school students create career plans, and creating a youth summer job initiative. And employers in the state have started apprenticeship programs aimed at giving students more skills to enter the trades. State officials are investing in industry-specific training and education programs, including a series of efforts focused on building the tourism workforce.
HB 5159 comes as several states have made changes to make it easier for minors to work. Other states have rolled back youth labor protections, including increasing the number of hours minors can work, and allowing minors to operate machinery and other hazardous equipment. In 2021, West Virginia passed a law allowing 16-year-olds to handle and serve alcohol in restaurants, a move some policy groups say could expose minors to unsafe work environments.
The bill now goes to the House Government Organization Committee.