B.C. to raise minimum employment age from 12 to 16 this fall
British Columbia is making changes to its employment standards legislation this fall, raising the general working age for young people from 12 to 16 years old.
The changes will also outline the kinds of “light work” jobs that people under 16 can do with permission from a parent or guardian.
The new rules will take effect on Oct. 15 and will bring the province in line with international youth employment standards, the labour ministry said in a statement Wednesday. The delay in implementing the changes is intended to allow employers and young workers to adjust to the new requirements.
“Work experience can be a rewarding growth opportunity for young people, but it should never compromise their safety,” B.C. Labour Minister Harry Bains said in the statement. “We know that most employers make safety their top priority for all their workers, and these changes clarify what types of employment are age-appropriate for young workers.”
The province says workers aged 14 and 15 will be able to do “light work” with the permission of a parent or guardian.
In some cases, children aged 14 and 15 may be permitted to do work outside the definition of light work with a permit from the Ministry of Labour’s Employment Standards Branch, the ministry said.
The province’s examples of “light work” include:
- recreation and sports club work, such as lifeguard, coach, golf caddy, camp counsellor, referee and umpire;
- light farm and yard work, such as gardening, harvesting by hand, clearing leaves and snow, and grass cutting;
- administrative and secretarial work;
- retail work, such as stocking shelves, packaging orders, laying out displays, sales and cashier;
- food service work, such as busing tables, preparing food, dishwashing and serving food and non-alcoholic drinks;
- skilled and technical work, such as computer programmer, visual artists, graphic designer, writer and editor.
The province says all children aged 12 and over can continue to be employed in a business or on a farm owned by an immediate family member, as long as the work meets provincial safety criteria.
The new rules also do not prevent children from babysitting or delivering newspapers part time, or prevent students from working in a work-study or work-experience class.
The changes will not apply to young performers in recorded and live entertainment.
B.C. is currently the only province that allows the employment of children as young as 12, the ministry said Wednesday.
More than $1.1 million in disability claims were paid to workers 14 and younger between 2007 and 2016, according to WorkSafeBC.
The province says it is also working to define “hazardous work” for those aged 16 to 18, with regulatory changes expected later this year.
“We are committed to protecting B.C.’s workers of all ages from unsafe working conditions and unfair labour practices,” Bains said. “And we are improving B.C.’s employment standards to reflect the evolving needs of our workplaces.”
The province says it consulted with more than 1,700 workers, employers and parents before finalizing the youth employment changes earlier this year.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
NEW Keeping these exotic pets is 'cruel' and 'dangerous,' Canadian animal advocates say
Canadian pet owners are finding companionship beyond dogs and cats. Tigers, alligators, scorpions and tarantulas are among some of the exotic pets they are keeping in private homes, which pose risks to public safety and animal welfare, advocates say.
NEW Life got in the way of one woman's reunion with her father, but a DNA test gained her a family
Anne Marie Cavner was the closest she'd ever been to meeting her biological father, but then life dealt her a blow. From an unexpected loss to a host of new relationships, a DNA test changed her life, and she doesn't regret a thing.
Doctors ask Liberal government to reconsider capital gains tax change
The Canadian Medical Association is asking the federal government to reconsider its proposed changes to capital gains taxation, arguing it will affect doctors' retirement savings.
Quebec farmers have been protesting since December. Is anyone listening?
Upset about high interest rates, growing paperwork and heavy regulatory burdens, protesting farmers have become a familiar sight across Quebec since December.
'Catch-and-kill' strategy to be a focus as testimony resumes in Trump hush money case
A veteran tabloid publisher was expected to return to the witness stand Tuesday in Donald Trump's historic hush money trial.
Quebec Health Department reports 28 cases of eye damage linked to solar eclipse
Quebec's Health Department says it has received 28 reports of eye damage related to the April 8 total solar eclipse that passed over southern parts of the province.
Psychologist becomes first person in Peru to die by euthanasia after fighting in court for years
A Peruvian psychologist who suffered from an incurable disease that weakened her muscles and had her confined to her bed for several years, died by euthanasia, her lawyer said Monday, becoming the first person in the country to obtain the right to die with medical assistance.
Diver pinned under water by an alligator figured he had choice. Lose his arm or lose his life
An alligator attacked a diver on April 15 as he surfaced from his dive, nearly out of air. His tank emptied with the gator's jaws crushing the arm he put up in defence.
How quietly promised law changes in the 2024 federal budget could impact your day-to-day life
The 2024 federal budget released last week includes numerous big spending promises that have garnered headlines. But, tucked into the 416-page document are also series of smaller items, such as promising to amend the law regarding infant formula and to force banks to label government rebates, that you may have missed.