Minors in Maine may get more job opportunities

Maine Gov. Paul LePage wants to streamline his state's hiring practices for minors to get more young people employed, especially during the summer months.

LePage's proposed changes include allowing the state's department of labor to issue work permits directly during the summer months,according to The Sun Journal, a local news source. Currently, school superintendents have to review each case and issue permits for minors to work throughout the year. Time and attendance were two issues LePage addressed directly, noting that he doesn't want young employees working full schedules in the summer.

"I'm all for not allowing a 12-year-old to work 40 hours," LePage told a Sun Journal supplement. "But a 12-year-old working eight to 10 hours a week or a 14-year-old working 12 to 15 hours a week is not bad."

Members of organizations including the state's retailers' association and Chamber of Commerce agree the proposal will be beneficial, especially in tourism-heavy areas. But teachers and educational associations believe that schools need to be involved with students to keep them focused on education.

All workers in Maine will see some growth, although sluggish, in the job market. A growth in total jobs in Maine of less than one percent per quarter during the next four years was reported by the AP.