HR 3139
HR 3139, Youth Worker Protection Act, is a piece of federal legislation. The bill, if passed, will have ramifications for a large segment of homeschoolers. One of the functions of this piece of legislation is to restrict the number of hours a teenager may work.

Section 204 of HR 3139 deals with working hour restrictions for minors. School age minors will not be able to work during school hours. Young adults, ages 16 or 17, will not be able to work before 7:00 AM on any day; will be unable to work past 10:00 PM on a "school night," or 11:00 PM on any other day; will not be able to work more than four hours on a "school day," or eight hours on any other day; will not be able to work more than 20 hours during a week when "school" is in session; and cannot work more than six consecutive days.

Teenagers, ages 14 or 15, will not be able to work before 7:00 AM on any day; will not be able to work past 7:00 PM on any day except for summer vacation or school vacation; will not be able to work more than three hours on a "school day" or more than six hours on any other day; will be unable to work more than 15 hours during a week that school is in session, or more than 30 hours during any other week; and will be unable to work more than five consecutive days.

HR 3139 was introduced by Congressman Tom Lancos (CA) in September 2003. The bill has 40 co-sponsors, six of whom are Massachusetts legislators. The bill was referred to House subcommittees in October. Right now, the bill is with the Committee on Education and the Workforce and the Workforce Protection Subcommittee. You can view the text of the bill by going to http://thomas.loc.gov. Type in HR 3139 and on the page that comes up, scroll down to "Working Hour Restrictions for Minors."

Because so many teenaged homeschoolers participate in apprenticeships and work opportunities, these restrictions could impact their educational and career opportunities. The bill would not change the way that homeschoolers report anything. The onus would be on employers not to hire teenagers for paid work for more hours or during hours restricted by the bill. The bill has the potential to affect paid apprenticeships, or jobs that homeschool teens may need to support their use of a car, (needed to get them to different "learning" type things). The bill would not affect unpaid apprenticeships or volunteer work.

HR 3139 deals with more than just the issue of teenage work hour restrictions, so it is necessary to be specific about the part of the bill you are calling or writing to oppose, specifically, Section 204. Our suggestion is that you review Section 204, decide if you are opposed, and if so write in your own words what you are opposed to and why. How you choose to frame your argument is a personal decision. However we do think it would be best to avoid asking to put language into the bill that would exempt homeschoolers, as that introduces the issue of using "home school" in federal legislation, opening up its own can of worms. For a background on that issue, see

"Say No To The Federal Homeschooling Legislation"
Taking Charge column, by Larry and Susan Kaseman
www.home-ed-magazine.com/HEM/205/sotch.html

CT Homeschool Network - HoNDA ANALYSIS
by Attorney Deborah G. Stevenson
http://www.CTHomeschoolNetwork.org/HONDA.htm

Contacts:
The Honorable Charlie Norwood
Chairman, Workforce Protection Committee
Room 2452
Rayburn Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515

The Honorable John Boehner
Chairman, Committee on Education and the Workforce
Room 2181
Rayburn Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
202-225-4527

Massachusetts Co-Sponsors
Congressman Barney Frank
2252 Rayburn H.O.B.
Washington, DC 20515-2104
202-225-5931

Congressman Bill Delahunt
1317 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
202-225-3111 / Fax: 202-225-5658

Congressman James McGovern
430 Cannon Building
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: (202) 225-6101 / Fax: (202) 225-5759

Congressman Richard Neal
2133 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
202-225-5601

Congressman John Olver
1027 Longworth HOB
Washington, D.C. 20515
202-225-5335

Congressman John Tierney
120 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, DC 20003
202-225-8020

To find your congressman or congresswoman's local office address, please go to http://www.house.gov.

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