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Sun 18 Jan, 2004 07:26 pm
In New Jersey, it is illegal to be hired unless one is of 14 year of age or older, though one cannot get a job that is worthwhile at least until the age of 16. This can be agrivating to those who are looking forward to earning and saving money for a car, college education, personal uses, etc. I understand that most teenagers are rather foolish but then again, aren't many adults? Is it logical to discriminate by age more than intelligence? One at the age of 12 may be much more efficeint at a job than a 33 year-old. Although the 12 year-old may be to bashful in a certain job which can require people-skills, there may be many occupations which younger people can flourish in. Should there be exceptions made to age requirements? Could there be tests taken by applicants of any age in order to find their effeceincy? Should jobs be limited by their IQ and/or people-skills?
The age laws were made, I believe, at a time when child labor was rife. The idea is less whether a 12-year-old CAN do the job, than whether a 12-year-old will be forced into servitude.
There are a lot of people here with far more historical and legal knowledge than I who will give you a better idea of the origins.
There is no reason not to volunteer, if you would like to get a jump on things. I was volunteering at the humane society and the zoo when I was 12. It helps you get a paying job later, and it also is something that colleges look for.
There are some jobs that allow for younger employees, I think, like paper routes, that sort of thing. Maybe contact your local Chamber of Commerce, see what they have to say.
I think Soz summed it up pretty well.
If you are under age 16 then your primary focus is supposed to be on getting through school - not spending your non-school hours working instead of doing homework or working late and then missing school altogether.
Of course now-a-days that doesn't stop at age 16 but 16 is what we're left with a law from a time when most people only had a high school education and many many people didn't even have that. If it were re-written today I'd guess the age would go up - not down.
But the primary purpose of these laws isn't based in efficiency or intelligence. It's in society's obligation to both protect minors and to ensure that a minor's time is available for their education.
These laws made it very difficult for me to feed and house myself as a kid. I understand their purpose and agree with it. But for me these laws made for some very difficult years.
At times, the only option I had was to work "under the table". I was constantly getting screwed out of my wages.
Try paying rent by mowing lawns, it's no walk in the park.
Ultimately these laws helped keep me OUT of school. When I couldn't support myself and became homeless I had to drop out of school.
GRRR.
<rant over>
You know Craven, here, if you were unable to live at home for good reasons, you would have received an allowance and had access to supported accommodation, so that you could go to school.
Not that it is easy here for kids who cannot live at home - and their situation must be assessed - (I get involved in such assessments all too often) - but your situation seems to outside eyes to have been outrageous for such a wealthy country.
Seems hard to not support kids in such a predicament, AND make it hard for them to earn a living - I would argue for maintaining the laws, but helping the kids.
There were programs like that here in the States as well, some of the school counsellors wanted to put me in 'em when I told them I was dropping out. But there was a possibility that I'd get my parents and my guardians in legal trouble, and for several reasons I didn't want to take that route.
dlowan, As a member of the grand jury, I have learned about many programs available for children. Unfortunately, not many children are aware of these programs, and they go about their lives without much moral or financial support. As you say, the first thing a child will receive are accommodations and food in our county. They will also receive schooling and medical care. Once they are in the social service system, they will be given the opportunity to live in foster homes, possible adoption, or several ranches available in our county. I know these programs did not exist when I was a child, and left home when I was 17 years old.
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