Minor Worker Registration Law Goes Into Effect

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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowA new Indiana law goes into effect Thursday that makes employers and not schools responsible to register minors under the age of 18 who want to work. The measure also eliminates the need for minor-employee work permits.
Businesses who hire teenage workers are now required to register those employees in the Indiana Department of Labor’s new Youth Employment System, or YES. The registration system went live on June 1 to give employers who meet criteria to set up their accounts and use before July 1.
The state says about 5,000 employers have signed-up, registering more than 33,000 minor employees.
“This will streamline the hiring process for employers and minors,” Michael Myers, director of the Indiana Department of Labor’s Bureau of Youth Employment, said in a news release. “After an employer has set up the business profile, they only need to input the minor’s name, age and hire date.”
Myers says registering minors only takes about two minutes, and employers can access the registration app via a desktop, laptop, tablet or smartphone. Employers who fail to comply could face penalties of up to $400 per infraction, per minor.
While schools will no longer be responsible to register the young workers with the state, they will still be able to access data on students who work. The state labor department says that will allow schools to work with employers to balance a student’s employment and academic performance.