The United States Department of Labor has withdrawn a proposed bill that would have affected children under the age of 16 who work in agricultural jobs, an action praised by the Arizona Farm Bureau.
“The Obama administration is firmly committed to promoting family farmers and respecting the rural way of life, especially the role that parents and other family members play in passing those traditions down through the generations,” a statement from the DOL said.
“The decision to withdraw this rule — including provisions to define the ‘parental exemption’ — was made in response to thousands of comments expressing concerns about the effect of the proposed rules on small family-owned farms. To be clear, this regulation will not be pursued for the duration of the Obama administration,” it continued.
