The Louisiana Senate on Tuesday approved legislation that removes a requirement that minor workers receive a lunch break for longer work shifts, Louisiana Illuminator reports.
House Bill 156, by Rep. Roger Wilder, R-Denham Springs, removes mandated lunch breaks for minors working shifts longer than five hours. The bill was amended to apply to 16- and 17-year-old employees and preserved the required break for workers under 16.
Multiple labor unions and labor organizations oppose Wilder’s bill and Sen. Gary Carter, D-New Orleans, calls it “mean spirited.”
Supporters of the measure argue that the bill would not lead to abuse of minors because young workers who felt they were being exploited would quit their jobs. By eliminating mandated breaks for minors, business owners and managers would be spared the paperwork and penalties they face when minors clock in early from their breaks—a “disincentive” to hiring minors.
Because it was amended, the bill will return to the House for approval.
