Senate Workforce Committee Chair Sen. Rollan Roberts, R-Raleigh, addresses the Senate on Friday, Feb. 28, 2025 in Charleston, W.Va. Senators unanimously passed a bill that would exempt 14- and 15-year-olds from needing a work permit to seek employment. (Will Price | West Virginia Legislative Photography)
A bill advancing in the West Virginia Legislature would allow 14- and 15-year-olds to work without first obtaining a work permit.
The Senate unanimously passed Senate Bill 427 Friday.
Currently, state law requires 14- and 15-year-olds who want to work to get a permit from their school superintendent. The permit includes age certification, a commitment by the employer to employ the child legally, a description of the work the child is applying to do, a signature by the child’s principal saying that they’re attending school, and parental consent.
If SB 427 becomes law, employers seeking to hire the teenagers would be required to obtain an age certificate verifying the child’s age from the state Division of Labor and the written consent of the child’s parent or guardian.
The bill would not change the law that prohibits children under 18 from working in certain dangerous jobs, such as logging or demolition, according to Senate Workforce Committee Chair Sen. Rollan Roberts, R-Raleigh.
“Overall, the bill would make it easier for teenagers seeking job opportunities in the state to begin learning valuable skills,” Roberts said.
The House of Delegates passed a similar bill last year, but the bill did not make it through the Senate.
Opponents of the legislation argued that repealing the work permit process could leave some children open to exploitation by their parents.
The bill will next go to the House of Delegates for consideration.
GET THE MORNING HEADLINES.