Title
Mr. Schmerelson, Dr. Rivas - Workplace Readiness Week in California High Schools (Res-006-25/26) (Noticed September 16, 2025)
Body
Whereas, In the State of California, residents aged 16-24 comprise 12% of California's working population with 72% of young workers identifying as people of color, 64% earning low wages, and half still attending school;
Whereas, The Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (FLSA) was signed into law, which ensured young workers' rights to safe environments and to pursuit educational opportunities, even as states around the nation have passed laws to weaken this regulation since 2022;
Whereas, According to the U.S. Labor Department Wage and Hour Division, minors employed in violation of child labor laws increased between 2015 and 2022 over threefold, from 1,012 to 3,876 cases;
Whereas, In 2020, the rate of work-related injuries treated in emergency departments for workers, ages 15-24, was 1.5 times greater than the rate for workers 25 years of age and older;
Whereas, Sexual harassment is highest in industries where young workers are concentrated: according to the Center for American Progress, in 2017, restaurants/food service, hospitality, and retail accounted for nearly 30% of all sexual harassment claims;
Whereas, In 2021, almost half (44.2%) of the 19,000 wage theft claims for unpaid wages filed in California were in the aforementioned industries where young people predominantly work;
Whereas, California has extensive existing regulations surrounding the type of employment allowed for minors, restrictions on hours worked, and requirements for employers of minors;
Whereas, Until recently, there was no regulation in place requiring minors to receive information regarding their rights as active participants in the workforce, specifically their rights as employed minors;
Whereas, This lack of knowledge has made California working youth vulnerable to exploitation, harassment, and harm in the workplace;
Whereas, Therefore,...
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