Florida lawmakers are weighing a controversial bill that would drastically alter the state’s child labor laws. Senate Bill 918, which is winding its way through the legislature, would allow teenagers as young as 14 to work nighttime shifts, even on school nights. The bill also proposes doing away with existing meal break requirements for teenage workers. The bill’s supporters argue that the changes would help alleviate labor shortages, while opponents foresee negative impacts on the education and well-being of teenage workers.
Minors are being limited in their working hours under current Florida labor laws so that their health and education do not suffer. Teenagers under the age of 16 are prohibited from working before 6:30 a.m. or after 11 p.m., and those under the age of 18 must take mandatory meal breaks after eight hours of labor. Senate Bill 918 seeks to remove these prohibitions. 14- and 15-year-olds could work overnight and 16- and 17-year-olds could work the same hours as adults if the bill passes. The bill also eliminates the meal break mandate for all teen workers.
This effort is also part of a national trend, with a number of states loosening child labor protections to help alleviate workforce shortages. Florida, for instance, legalized the hiring of homeschooled 16-year-olds for unlimited hours last year. The new law opens this up to more teens.
Supporters of the bill, including Republican Senator Jay Collins and Governor Ron DeSantis, argue the bill aligns Florida’s labor laws with federal laws and puts parents’ rights first. They see the bill as a solution to labor shortages, particularly in industries like hospitality and agriculture, that have resulted from the state’s crackdown on unauthorized workers.
Governor DeSantis has not been shy in his support of the idea of teenagers filling job openings caused by migrant labor restrictions. “Why do we say we have to bring in foreigners, even illegally, when teens used to do this at these resorts? College students can do this stuff,” DeSantis stated in a recent panel discussion.
Business groups, such as the Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association, are supporting the bill, saying that allowing teenagers to work longer hours will provide them with valuable work experience while helping businesses stay in business during periods of labor shortages.
Critics of the bill, including labor rights activists, educators, and Democratic lawmakers, are worried about its negative impacts. They think that the removal of the work-hour limit could mean higher dropout rates, decreased academic performance, and physical exhaustion for teen workers.
Critics also refer to the possibility of exploitation of laborers, particularly low-income and minority youth. The U.S. Department of Labor has pointed to a record rise in child labor violations in Florida in recent years, which has stirred up worries regarding workplace protections.
“This bill is nothing more than a desperate attempt to replace undocumented workers with child labor,” said a spokesman for a labor rights organization. “It prioritizes business interests over the safety of young workers.”
The push for Senate Bill 918 comes on the heels of Florida’s tough immigration law, which requires businesses with over 25 employees to verify workers’ legal status using E-Verify. A number of industries that rely on immigrant labor, including agriculture, construction, and hospitality, have seen worker shortages as a result.
While Florida is trying to relax child labor laws, other English-speaking countries have more restrictive laws. In Canada, for example, children below the age of 16 cannot work night shifts, and meal breaks are still mandated. The United Kingdom also has strict limits on the working hours of teenagers to keep students concentrated on schooling. Senate Bill 918 cleared the Florida Senate Committee on Commerce and Tourism by a narrow 5-4 vote on March 25, 2025.
