New Logging Bill Lets 16-Year-Olds Work Hazardous Jobs: Parental Supervision Loophole Raises Concerns

This bill, officially called the "Future in Logging Careers Act," makes a significant change to child labor laws specifically for the logging industry. It allows 16 and 17-year-olds to work in what are normally considered hazardous logging jobs, but only if the business is owned or operated by their parent or legal guardian. The bill also lays out definitions for different kinds of logging employers, distinguishing between those using manual methods and those relying on heavy machinery.

Logging Loopholes

The core of this bill (SEC. 2) revolves around amending the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938. It defines two new types of employers:

• "Timber harvesting employer": This covers a broad range of activities, from felling trees and processing them to transporting timber. It even includes building logging roads and maintaining equipment. It's not just about using chainsaws; it's about the whole logging operation.
• "Mechanized timber harvesting employer": This focuses on companies using heavy equipment like tree processors, feller-bunchers, and skidders – the big machines that do the heavy lifting (and pose significant risks).

The bill then creates a specific exemption to existing child labor laws. Usually, 16 and 17-year-olds can't work in hazardous occupations, as determined by the Secretary of Labor. This bill says they can work in these hazardous logging jobs if their parent or guardian owns or operates the business.

Who's Feeling the Change?

• Teenagers in logging families: A 16-year-old whose family runs a logging operation could now legally work in roles previously off-limits due to safety concerns. Think operating heavy machinery or working near falling trees.
• Family-owned timber businesses: They could employ their own children in more roles, potentially increasing their available workforce. For a small logging business in a rural town, this could mean the difference between having enough hands on deck or falling behind.

The Catch: Safety and Potential Exploitation

While the bill might seem like a win for family businesses, it raises some serious questions. Logging is inherently dangerous. The whole reason there are restrictions on young people working in these jobs is to protect them from serious injury or worse. The bill introduces a loophole by tying the exemption to parental ownership.

This could lead to situations where:

• Pressure on families: Parents might feel pressured to put their kids to work in dangerous conditions to keep the family business afloat.
• Reduced oversight: Family-run operations might be less likely to strictly enforce safety regulations when it comes to their own children.
• Exploitation: The "owned or operated" language could be manipulated. What constitutes "operation"? Could a parent be nominally put in charge to allow a teenager to work, even if they aren't genuinely overseeing the operation?

The Bigger Picture

This bill fits into a larger debate about balancing economic needs with worker safety, particularly for young people. It touches on the challenges faced by family businesses in industries like logging, where finding and keeping workers can be difficult. However, by potentially weakening child labor protections, the "Future in Logging Careers Act" raises serious concerns about the safety and well-being of 16 and 17-year-olds in a notoriously hazardous industry.