Wage and Hour Division September 27, 2018 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Department of Labor (Department) is proposing this rule to enhance employment, training, and apprenticeship opportunities for 16- and 17-year-olds in health care occupations in the United States while maintaining worker safety. The changes proposed in this rule also respond to the concerns of a bipartisan, bicameral group of congressional lawmakers. The youth- employment provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) ensure that when youth work, the work is safe and does not jeopardize their health, well-being, or education. Pursuant to those provisions, 16- and 17-year-old employees generally cannot work in a nonagricultural occupation governed by any of the Department's Hazardous Occupations Orders (HOs). HO 7 prohibits youth from working in occupations involving the operation of a power-driven patient lift. Patient lifts, however, substantially differ in form and function from the other equipment that the HO governs, including forklifts, backhoes, cranes, and other heavy industrial equipment. Additionally, patient lifts are safer for workers than the alternative method of manually lifting patients. In response to significant public input and bipartisan, bicameral requests from Members of Congress, the Department proposes to remove the operation of power-driven patient lifts from the list of activities that HO 7 prohibits. This proposal, if finalized, would increase the participation of young workers in health care occupations and enhance their future career skills and their earning potential, without reducing worker safety.