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Gov. JB Pritzker signed Senate Bill 3646 with additional working
conditions for children 15 or younger, among them outlawing
minors from working more than 18 hours per school week and over
40 hours during weeks when school is out. The new guidelines
also add such industries as cannabis dispensaries, live adult
entertainment businesses, gambling establishments and gun ranges
to the list of workplaces off limits to them.
Illinois AFL-CIO President Tim Drea insists the timing for all
the changes couldn’t be better.
“Labor was very happy to see this bill signed,” Drea told The
Center Square. “The old law was written in the industrial
revolution and it was industrial based law. They tried to amend
it and make it fit into a service economy and it just wasn't
working anymore. It was conflicting and it was contradictory in
places. This was a long time coming.”
As chief sponsor of the bill, state Sen. Robert Peters,
D-Chicago, said lawmakers were motivated to act because of the
growing number of states seeking to relax such laws as the
workforce has struggled to fully rebound in the aftermath of the
pandemic.
SB3646 also establishes new penalties for violations of the
statute, including outlining that if a child dies on the job and
the employer is found to be in violation, fines of up to $60,000
can be imposed. In cases where a child is injured, the fine can
reach $30,000.
Drea said Illinois AFL-CIO closely worked with top state
officials in crafting the bill and he is now hoping to see other
states follow suit.
“I think it balances the needs for families that need the
additional income, yet makes sure that kids are still going to
school,” he said. “They're getting off at 9 at night so they can
go home, get a good night's sleep and then be ready to go to
school in the morning. Some states don't have an ending time,
kids work until midnight, and then try to go to school and stay
awake in class. We think this bill really balances work and
school in a way that a student can excel at both.”
While part of Illinois’ new law went into effect with Pritzker’s
signature, other parts are set to kick in on Jan. 1.
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