Key Changes at a Glance

What’s Gone

• 30-hour weekly cap during school weeks
• 8-hour daily limit on school days
• 11 p.m. curfew when school is in session

What Still Applies

• No work during school hours (unless part of a work-study program)
• 30-minute uninterrupted break after 4 consecutive hours
• Federal bans on hazardous duties (e.g., roofing, forklifts, demolition)

Compliance & Risk Management Checklist

Scheduling Systems: Remove Florida-specific hour caps for 16-17-year-olds but keep automated prompts for the mandatory 30-minute break.

School-Night Prudence: Although the 11 p.m. curfew is gone, excessive late shifts leading to truancy can still trigger state investigations.

Safety Training: Reaffirm federal hazardous-duty prohibitions; ensure teen workers are not assigned to forklifts, power-driven bakery machines, roofing, or demolition.

Poster Update: Replace the prior “Florida Child Labor Laws” poster with the July 2024 revision issued by the Department of Business & Professional Regulation.

Parent/Guardian Consent: While not mandated, obtaining written consent for extended hours can reduce disputes.

Audit Trail: Maintain shift logs and break records for three years; auditors often request these during wage investigations.

Strategic Takeaways

HB 49 delivers scheduling flexibility but not a free pass. Employers gain more evening and weekend labor capacity, yet must double-down on break compliance, hazard restrictions, and documentation. A quarterly self-audit—timecards, job assignments, and break logs—remains the best guardrail against costly child-labor citations.