As summer approaches, millions of young people will enter the workforce and some of them, it’s their first time!
According to OSHA, workers under the age of 25 are twice as likely to be injured on the job as older workers and are often unaware of their workplace rights. In fact, a U.S. teen worker is injured on the job every nine minutes. In 2011, more than 331 young workers were killed and 106,170 injured on the job.
Hence, it is important to educate our kids on their rights and to keep them safe on the job this summer. Under the OSHA Act of 1970, employers are required to provide a workplace free of serious, recognized hazards, including workplace violence.
In May 2015, the National Consumers League identified these five jobs as the most hazardous for teens. They are – Tobacco Harvester, Agriculture: Harvesting Crops and Using Machinery, Traveling Youth Sales Crews, Construction and Height Work, Outside Helper: Landscaping, Groundskeeping, and Lawn Service.
If your teenager is working this summer, make sure you make them realize they have rights even though they are underage. If your kid sees something that is unsafe or dangerous on the job, encourage them to speak up and report the issue to the appropriate authority. Your teenage kid cannot be fired for reporting a workplace injury or hazard. Also, worker’s compensation applies to all employees including temporary/contract summer labor. Worker’s compensation will pay for medical bills and lost wages.
If you need help with claims for a work-related injury, do not hesitate to contact The Pinkerton Law Firm at 713-360-6722 | ChadPinkerton.com. Consultation is free!
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