Arkansas Child Labor Rule Amendments Public Hearing Notice

proposed-rule-making

Published September 6th, 2023

Detected March 17th, 2026

Summary

The Arkansas Department of Labor and Licensing is holding a public hearing on September 6, 2023, to accept comments on proposed amendments to child labor rules. Key changes include repealing employment certificate rules, enhancing civil penalties, and updating hazardous employment exemptions.

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What changed

The Arkansas Department of Labor and Licensing has announced a public hearing and comment period for proposed amendments to its Administrative Rules Regarding Child Labor. The proposed changes aim to align with recent state legislation (Act 195 of 2023 and Act 687 of 2023). Specifically, the amendments will repeal the requirement for child labor employment certificates, introduce criminal referrals for violations, increase civil penalties, and extend the period for pursuing civil penalties from two to three years. Additionally, exemptions for hazardous employment will be updated, and grammatical/stylistic changes will be made.

Employers in Arkansas should review these proposed amendments, particularly those concerning the repeal of employment certificates and the increased penalties and enforcement mechanisms for child labor violations. The public hearing is scheduled for September 6, 2023, and written comments will be accepted until the same date and time. This presents an opportunity to provide input on the revised rules before they are finalized. Failure to comply with the updated rules, once enacted, could result in enhanced civil penalties and potential criminal referrals.

What to do next

Review proposed amendments to Arkansas child labor rules
Submit written comments by September 6, 2023
Attend public hearing on September 6, 2023, if desired

Penalties

Enhance civil penalties and increase the time to pursue civil penalties from two (2) to three (3) years for child labor violations.

Source document (simplified)

LEGAL NOTICE The Department of Labor and Licensing, Division of Labor, will hold a public hearing on Wednesday, September 6, 2023 at 10:00 a.m. at the Arkansas Department of Labor and Licensing, 900 West Capitol Avenue, suite 400, Little Rock, Arkansas 72201. The public hearing will be conducted for the purpose of accepting public comment on proposed amendments to the Administrative Rules Regarding Child Labor. The proposed amendments would accomplish the following: 1) Amend the rules to comply with Act 195 of 2023 to repeal the child labor employment certificate rules; 2) Amend the rules to comply with Act 687 of 2023 to provide for criminal referrals and investigations and enhance civil penalties and increase the time to pursue civil penalties from two (2) to three (3) years for child labor violations; 3) Update certain exemptions to the hazardous employment prohibition; and 4) Make grammatical and stylistic changes to conform with the BLR drafting manual and the format for the Code of Arkansas Rules. Written comment will be accepted through Wednesday, September 6, 2023 at 10:00 a.m. by the Arkansas Department of Labor and Licensing at the above address. A copy of the proposed amendments may be obtained by calling the Department of Labor and Licensing, Division of Labor, at (501)682-4500. A copy of proposed amendments can also be accessed on the Department of Labor and Licensing’s website at: http://www.labor.arkansas.gov/news/proposed-rule-making/ or the Secretary of State’s website at: http://www.sos.arkansas.gov/rules_and_regs/index.php/rules/search/new Ralph T. Hudson, Director Division of Labor Department of Labor and Licensing This Legal Notice will be published in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette from Sunday [insert date, 2023] through Tuesday [insert date, 2023].