Safer Jobs for Teen Workers

WORK HOURS FOR TEENS
(Not in agriculture)
California Resource Network for
Young Workers' Health and Safety
 
Age 14-15
Age 16-17
Work Hours 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. from
Labor Day to June 1st
 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. on school nights
  Not during school hours 5 a.m. to 12:30 a.m. when there is no school the next day
  7 a.m. to 9 p.m. from
June 1st to Labor Day
  
Maximum Hours When School is in Session 3 hours a day on
school days
 4 hours a day
Monday - Thursday
  8 hours a day
Saturday - Sunday and holidays
 8 hours a day
Friday - Sunday and holidays
Maximum Hours When School is not is Session 40 hours a week 48 hours a week
  8 hours a day 8 hours a day
Now that summer is in full swing, many young teens are entering summer employment. Unfortunately, every six minutes, a working teen is injured seriously enough on the job to go to a hospital or emergency room. Many of these injuries can be prevented. According to the California Resource Network for Young Workers’ Health and Safety, employers can take the following 6 steps to ensure a safer working environment for their teen employees:

Know the laws. Understand the California Child Labor Laws and Cal/OSHA’s workplace safety and health regulations.

Check your Compliance. Make sure teen employees are not assigned work schedules or asked to do job tasks that violate the law, such as operating heavy equipment and using power tools.

Make sure teens have Work Permits. Anyone under 18 must apply for a work permit at their school or district office before starting a new job. Work permits are not required if a teen has graduated from high school.

Stress Safety to Front-line Supervisors. Make sure your front-line supervisors who give job assignments know and understand the law. Encourage them to set a good example to influence teens’ attitudes and work habits.

Set up a Safety and Health Program. You are required by law to provide a safe and healthy workplace. Cal/OSHA regulations require every workplace to have an Injury and Illness Prevention Program.

Train Teens to put Safety First. Give teens clear instructions and provide hands-on training on the correct use of equipment.

Point out possible hazards. Encourage them to ask questions. Supply protective equipment when needed, such as goggles, safety shoes, masks, hard hats, gloves, etc. Be sure teens know how to use them.

For more information on Child Labor Laws, visit www.youngworkers.org on the web, or call the Workforce Connection at 1-800-344-7837.

Putting Your Business on the Internet

The Workforce Connection offered a free workshop to assist employers in developing a web site to promote their business. This workshop was sponsored as part of a Web site Technology Initiative, promoting the use of technology in the nine county area covered by NoRTEC, the Northern Rural Training Employment Consortium.

The four hour evening workshop was designed for local businesses that want to try a basic web presence but don’t have the time or experience to do it by themselves. Attendees received assistance in designing their site as well as web site hosting, directory listing, maintenance and support, FREE for three months.

Businesses have the option of continuing with the hosting or transition to another vendor at the end of the three months. Attendance at the workshop was limited and filled up very quickly. If you missed the first workshop but are interested in attending a future training please call Josephine Wyatt at (530) 938-3231.

Workforce Connection Offers Free
Employer Seminar on Controlling
Workers’ Compensation Costs

Jim Hay, Senior Loss Control Consultant for State Compensation Insurance Fund, conducted a workshop about controlling workers’ compensation costs at the Weed and Yreka Workforce Connection offices on June 20th.

The business representative attendees received an outline of steps to prevent workplace accidents. Hay said sufficient time and resources must be devoted to the effort of prevention. “It must have management support from the highest levels,” he said.

Hay also noted that since 1991, California has required all employers to implement Injury and Illness Prevention Programs (IIPP). Currently, the single most common Cal/OSHA violation is the lack of awareness of this requirement or the lack of compliance with it. A prevention program must include a designated safety director and a system to ensure compliance with safe and healthy work practices.

The workshop also covered ways in which employers can minimize costs after an accident or work related injury/illness occurs.

The early return to work policy enables the employer to create modified jobs to bring back employees while following their recovery process until they can return to regular duty. This allows the employer to receive production for wages paid, and avoids replacement and training costs. The employee benefits include: faster recovery, less likelihood of job loss and less financial burden.

STEP Youth Program Success Story

The STEP In-School Youth Program is designed to strengthen the link between academics and occupational learning. The program offers eligible high school students a variety of services including: paid work experience, career explorations, goal setting, basic skills and work readiness training.

Reynaldo Garcia, TCHS student, enrolled in the program to obtain occupational skills and basic skills training. Reynaldo’s goal is to improve his mathematics grade level equivalency one full grade by December 2002.

Currently, Reynaldo is working as a Custodian at Newell Elementary School. Patricia Reeder,worksite supervisor, believes Reynaldo has benefited from participating in this unique program. “He’s doing a wonderful job here!” stated Reeder. Reeder believes his communication skills and confidence level have improved considerably.

Reynaldo is also learning valuable employability skills through this work experience assignment. Reynaldo feels more independent and enjoys earning his own money.

When asked how the STEP Youth Program has helped him, Reynaldo replied, “I’m more responsible now. I wake up early everyday and keep regular attendance at school.”

“Reynaldo continues to demonstrate motivation and is determined to excel in the program,” stated Janie Gaither, STEP Youth Vocational Advisor. “We’re very proud of Reynaldo’s success, and the changes he’s made in his life.”

Unemployment Update

On March 9, 2002, the "Job Creation and Worker Assistance Act of 2002" was signed into law and provided for Temporary Extended Unemployment Compensation (TEUC) extensions. This act allows unemployed workers who have exhausted their regular unemployment insurance benefits to file for an extension of up to 13 weeks of benefits. In addition, the act provides for a second extension of up to 13 weeks if the state met certain criteria. The first unemployment benefits extension went into effect March 10, 2002, and is scheduled to end on December 31, 2002.

California met the Federal criteria for the second extension, which went into effect April 14, 2002. The second extension will remain in effect until at least August 3, 2002, and may extend beyond that if California meets the criteria. Both the first extension and the second extension (if it is still in effect) will end December 31, 2002.

Both of the TEUC extensions are entirely federally funded. Therefore, employers' reserve accounts will not be charged for any moneys paid out to claimants on these extensions.