To amend the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to expand working hours for employees between the ages of 14 and 16 years during periods in which schools are in session, and for other purposes.
Sponsors
Legislative Progress
IntroducedMr. Johnson of South Dakota (for himself, Mr. Nehls, and …
Summary
What This Bill Does
The TEENS Act (Teenagers Earning Everyday Necessary Skills Act) would expand the hours that 14- and 15-year-olds can legally work during the school year. Under current law, the Secretary of Labor can restrict teen working hours to prevent "oppressive child labor." This bill removes that authority for teens who work 24 hours or less per week and only between 7:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m.
Who Benefits and How
Employers in retail, food service, and other industries that hire teenage workers benefit by gaining access to more flexible teen labor during the school year. Teens aged 14-16 who want to work more hours gain expanded earning opportunities - they could work up to 24 hours per week during school sessions instead of the current federal limits that can be as low as 18 hours. The bill also provides scheduling flexibility with a work window from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Who Bears the Burden and How
The bill reduces federal oversight of teen working hours, which may concern child welfare advocates and educators who worry about the impact of expanded work schedules on school performance and youth well-being. The Department of Labor loses some discretion in setting protective limits on youth employment during the school year.
Key Provisions
- Prevents the Secretary of Labor from deeming employment "oppressive child labor" based solely on hours worked if the teen works 24 hours or less weekly during school sessions
- Sets a mandatory work window of 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. local time for covered teen workers
- Applies specifically to employees aged 14 and 15 years old
- Amends Section 3(l) of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938
Evidence Chain:
This summary is derived from the structured analysis below. See "Detailed Analysis" for per-title beneficiaries/burden bearers with clause-level evidence links.
Primary Purpose
The bill aims to amend the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 by expanding working hours for teenagers aged 14-16 during school sessions, allowing them to work up to 24 hours per week with specific time restrictions.
Policy Domains
Bill Structure & Actor Mappings
Who is "The Secretary" in each section?
Key Definitions
Terms defined in this bill
Amends Section 3(l) of the Fair Labor Standards Act to exempt certain working hour restrictions for employees aged 14-16 during school sessions, allowing up to 24 hours per week with specific time limits.
The bill is officially named the Teenagers Earning Everyday Necessary Skills Act or TEENS Act.
We use a combination of our own taxonomy and classification in addition to large language models to assess meaning and potential beneficiaries. High confidence means strong textual evidence. Always verify with the original bill text.
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