Authorizes minors who are members of a religious community to engage or assist in employment which minors are otherwise prohibited from performing

BILL NUMBER:S1980

Title of bill

An act to amend the labor law, in relation to authorizing minors fourteen years of age or older, working as part of a religious community of which they are a member, to be employed in or assist in certain activities

Purpose

The purpose of this legislation is to provide a religious exemption to current labor laws to allow minors from the age of 14 to 17 years old who are members of a religious community such as the Old Order Amish, to engage in certain work activities within the religious community when under adult supervision.

Summary of provisions

Section 1: Amends section 131 of the Labor law by adding a new subdivision 7 to allow minors fourteen to fifteen years old who are members of a religious community to be exempt from current law that prohibits minors from working with and around heavy machinery.

Section 2: Amends section 132 of the Labor Law by adding a new subdivision 6 to allow minors sixteen to seventeen years old who are members of a religious community to be exempt from current law that prevents minors from working with and around heavy machinery.

Section 3: Adds a new paragraph c to section 133 of the Labor Law to provide that exempted minors shall at all times be under the supervision of an adult who is an active member of the same religious community when working with and around heavy machinery.

Section 4: Sets for the effective date.

Justification

Religious groups such as the Old Order Amish have been established as peaceful communities in New York state for generations. They are constitutionally guaranteed the right to practice their faith without interference by government. The Amish have been able to maintain their traditions, beliefs and practices without dispute or controversy in New York and have long been contributing members and an asset to their local communities.

The Amish are taught to work at an early age and are trained for the family business at the end of the eighth grade. They are mentored during this work while engaged in activities such as woodworking, saw-milling and other work with heavy machinery.

As currently enforced, NYS child labor laws prohibit the Amish from training their children in the very areas of employment that their livelihood has depended on for decades. Without the exemption provided in this bill, the whole Amish way of life is in danger of being altered. Further, the values of work and responsibility taught to each generation, which are an integral part of the Amish existence, may be destroyed without the religious protection provided in this bill.

New York State has a responsibility to ensure religious freedom but also to ensure that minors are protected at all times, so this bill would require adult supervision of minors in the Amish community when working with such heavy machinery.

The Federal Government passed a similar religious exemption for the Amish, under the Clinton administration in 1998. That legislation allowed individual states such as New York to enact religious exemptions to their state labor laws. This bill would help to protect the constitutional freedom of this religious community by providing a similar religious exemption in state labor law to federal labor law, while ensuring safety of minors through their direct supervision.

Legislative history

2013,2014: S.2087/A.5041 Referred to Labor

2011,2012: S.767/A.6082 Passed Senate 2009,2010: S.2266/A.2252 Referred to Labor 2007,2008: S.3552/A.6929 Passed Senate

Fiscal implications

None.

Effective date

This act shall take effect immediately.