First in a series on changes coming to B.C. labour laws.

Kids under 16 can keep earning B次元官网网址減ocket moneyB次元官网网址� while the B.C. government works out regulations to restrict their paid work, Labour Minister Harry Bains says.

Bains said the minimum age for formal work is going up from 12 to 16, except for B次元官网网址渓ight workB次元官网网址� that isnB次元官网网址檛 hazardous, including chores and traditional work like delivering newspapers. He later clarified that there is more consultation needed before it is finalized.

B次元官网网址淲e will be devising regulations, and that will take some time,B次元官网网址� Bains said. B次元官网网址淚n the meantime they will continue to work. Then we will be consulting to see if they are actually in dangerous occupations, and how do we give the employer some opportunity to get used to what the new regulations are.B次元官网网址�

Farm operations and educational co-ops are concerned about new restrictions on youth work announced this week by Bains, as part of his update of the Labour Relations Code, says B.C. Liberal labour critic John Martin, MLA for Chilliwack.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檝e already got some emails from people involved in co-op education, youth 15 years old gaining a foothold in their employment career working in greenhouses and other parts of the agriculture sector,B次元官网网址� Martin said. B次元官网网址淭heyB次元官网网址檙e wondering if theyB次元官网网址檙e going to continue that relationship between schools and employers in various parts of the province.B次元官网网址�

says heB次元官网网址檚 got questions for about restrictions on teens working

B次元官网网址� Tom Fletcher (@tomfletcherbc)

Ken Peacock, chief economist at the Business Council of B.C., said in an interview he supports greater restrictions on work for young people. The councilB次元官网网址檚 submission to the B.C. Law InstituteB次元官网网址檚 three-year study of employment standards was in line with the changes in that area, he said.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 hearing there are some challenges and concerns in the agricultural sector, but itB次元官网网址檚 not intended to limit children working in family businesses,B次元官网网址� Peacock said.

The business group is expecting further changes to employment standards in the future, dealing with more sensitive areas such as hours of work, overtime and the status of contractors and part-time workers who donB次元官网网址檛 have employer-supported benefits.

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B次元官网网址淥ne thing we are definitely concerned about is the cumulative impact of all these things. The employment standards, a few pieces of the labour code, business probably can absorb that,B次元官网网址� Peacock said.

B次元官网网址淏ut youB次元官网网址檝e got changes on both those fronts in terms of labour legislation and the regulations, and then youB次元官网网址檝e the employer health tax, the minimum wage going up last year, slated to go up again in June of this year, youB次元官网网址檝e got Canada Pension Plan deductions increasing at the federal level. You start adding all these things up and you do wonder whether thatB次元官网网址檚 going to have a dampening impact on job creation and employment, and whether people will opt for contracting arrangements rather than secure employment arrangements.B次元官网网址�

tfletcher@blackpress.ca
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