Bill > B26-0428

Introduced Session

An Act to regulate the employment of minors within the District of Columbia”, prohibits minors under 14 from gainful employment. Alongside other protections for employed minors, it requires special ‘youth work permits’, restricts the hours and occupations for employed minors, sets special rules for minors employed in special occupations, and establishes penalties for violations. Unfortunately, this part of the Code has not been substantially amended since 1976 (and largely remains unchanged since it was originally enacted by Congress in 1928), resulting in serious problems that completely undermine the law’s strong protections against harmful labor practices. 1 US Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division, WHD by the Numbers 2022 “Child Labor,” https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/data/charts/child-labor. 2 Jennifer Sherer and Nina Mast, Child labor laws are under attack in states across the country (Washington D.C.: Economic Policy Institute, 2023), 6-7. 3 Forrest Saunders, “Could Florida become next state to loosen child labor laws?” 4 https://code.dccouncil.gov/us/dc/council/code/titles/32/chapters/2/subchapters/I Most disturbing among the current law’s many problems is that there is no existing District agency charged with monitoring, implementing, and enforcing our child labor protections. The law places responsibility on the ‘Board of Education’, an independent agency that existed prior to Mayoral control of the District’s school system in 2007. Since then, the District’s school system (including DC Public Schools and DC Public Charter Schools) has continued to issue ‘youth work permits’, but implementation has been fractured and inconsistent in the absence of a clear legal framework and centralized oversight. Importantly, there is no clear legal mandate for a District agency to investigate child labor violations, assess penalties against employers, or conduct public education on the law’s requirements. This proposed bill will modernize the District’s child labor law by re-writing its provisions in plain, clear language, in-line with our modern legislative drafting conventions. It places responsibility for implementing and enforcing the law with the Department of Employment Services (DOES), the District’s lead labor agency. DOES is well-equipped to oversee the issuance of ‘youth work permits’, maintain records on youth employment, conduct public education campaigns, investigate violations, and assess administrative penalties against employers who illegally employ minors. The proposed bill also clarifies the Office of the Attorney General’s role to act in the public interest by bringing civil suits against employers who violate the law, in- line with their role in enforcing other labor protections in District law. Importantly, this proposed legislation does not seek to permanently address all policy questions related to child labor; rather, it will establish a functioning framework for the District to fully implement our protections for employed minors, allowing future policymakers to continually update and improve the law. However, I look forward to receiving feedback from experts and stakeholders during the legislative process so that we may incorporate their recommendations for best practices. It’s time for the District to reaffirm our strong commitment to protecting our children from harmful employment practices. Each year, we make significant investments into our children’s education, skills training, and career readiness; it is essential that we ensure these investments are complemented with a well-regulated and transparent system governing their employment. I strongly urge all my Council colleagues to support me in taking quick action to correct this serious lapse in our law, so that the District may proudly guarantee a safe working environment for our employed minors. Thank you, Anita Bonds Councilmember Matthew Frumin Councilmember Anita Bonds A BILL IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA To prohibit the employment of minors younger than 14 years of age, to regulate the hours of employment of minors between the ages of 14 and 17, to require that employers post notice of the regulations for employment of minors, to prohibit the employment of minors in occupations deemed dangerous, to provide for the Mayor to issue rules identifying certain places of employment and occupations deemed dangerous, to require the Mayor to hold public hearings prior to issuing rules identifying certain places of employment and occupations deemed dangerous, to require that employers procure a work permit or special occupation permit for each minor employed, to require the Department of Employment Services to issue work permits and special occupation permits to minors, to require that the department of Employment Services maintain records of issued permits, to regulate the employment of minors in special occupations, to require that employers provide the Department of Employment Services with proof of an employee’s age upon demand, to require that the Department of Employment Services enforce this act and assess administrative penalties, to provide for the Department of Employment Services to inspect workplaces where minors are employed, to provide for the Department of Employment Services to revoke a minor’s work permit, to provide for the Attorney General to bring civil actions under this act, and to repeal An Act to regulate the employment of minors within the District of Columbia.

AI Summary

Committee Categories

Anita Bonds (D)*,  Matt Frumin (D)*, 

Public Hearing Held (on 12/04/2025)

Official Document