Show Barriers to fo Youth Employment THE THE A problem of youth employment has been beenA given a good deal of attention recently in Utah and the nation Everybody seems to agree that a situation wherein it is estimated some some youths are are unable to find employment em ern is serious serious and and that something must be done about it Of course the logical answer to the problem Is simply to put youth to work work work-to to enlist the cooperation of business and industry in the I creation of useful work for youths even eveni i though no regu regular ar job openings may exist nor there be any particular n need ed for increased employment employment em em- in the businesses whose c cooperation operation is sought Such a program however runs up against an immediate obstacle the obstacle the various and sundry restrictions placed upon the hiring of apprentices apprentice apprentice tice tices or learners or In Utah we have just such a case of restrictions restrictions placed on youth employment in the regulations regulations regu regu- lations recently issued by the state industrial commission covering retail trade in the state Included in the regulations are the followIng following follow follow- ing g restrictions on the employment of apprentices tices or learners f. f 1 L Learners may not be employed provided provided pro pro- vided former experienced are available avail avail- able except by the special permission of the commission 2 An employer m may y hire only one young young beginner for every 10 experienced No employer with less than three may hire a worker classed as an apprentice at at all aU 3 Part time Part time many of whom might be youths attending school may not be hired for less than four hours a day There is no question that the Intent of these regu regulations is excellent excellent to to protect minors from exploitation But the effect of the particular restrictions as to the hiring of apprentices must be to limit the opportunity of youth employment employment especially especially the i w ate creation of job opportunities for youths by business men cooperating in the youth employment employment em em- program Maybe its it's something that cant can't be helped Maybe such restrictions are are- essential to the protection of minors in employment But if they arent aren't essential to that fundamental aim then we are arbitrarily erecting through one agency of government artificial barriers which block or Impede the only sound solution of a avital avital avital vital problem with which other agencies of government are gravely concerned |