Ohio Stunned as Governor Rejects Under-16 Work Restrictions Bill
Ohio Governor Mike DeWine has turned down Senate Bill 50, a legislative proposal seeking to adjust the rules governing school-age employment, including the age-and-schooling certificate requirements and the permitted work hours for minors under 16.
The bill aimed to extend how late 14- and 15-year-olds could work on school nights, moving the limit from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Governor DeWine, however, argued that the long-standing regulations already provide an appropriate balance between work experience and academic responsibilities.
According to the Governor, young teens benefit from gaining early workplace exposure, but not at the expense of adequate study time and rest during the school week. He noted that current state law already allows teens in this age group to work until 9 p.m. during summer vacations and long school breaks, and that older teenagers who are 16 and above may work until 9 p.m. even on school nights.
DeWine emphasized that the proposed extension would only affect school-week schedules for 14- and 15-year-olds, and he sees no strong justification for pushing their weekday work cutoff time two hours later. For this reason, he concluded that maintaining the existing rules is in the best interest of Ohio’s children and families.
