Teens want to work, but is it too much?

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Teenagers are often preyed on in the workforce due to their determination to work but lack of understanding of the realities of the endeavor. Employers that hire teenagers are not shy about the tasks they expect teens to perform, but the concern is really if this much labor for a young mind is sustainable. Teenagers are spending their teen years being taken advantage of by harsh expectations. The problem arises when laws are not followed, and kids are not kids. Teenagers are being overworked and exploited by their employers.

Students from Orchard Park High School were asked to reflect on their own workplaces. Students were asked their occupation and if they felt safe and respected. Students who chose to stay anonymous stated that they have undergone verbal harassment, or, more specifically, being sworn at and insulted. Another anonymous student mentioned she was not offered breaks throughout her shift and wasn’t offered a place such as a “break room.”

Labor laws around the US are not being obeyed and minors are giving up their extracurriculars to meet the needs of their employers. According to the NYS Department of Labor, those under 18 are restricted in the hours they can work when school is in session, and rules very according to specific age groups. Students have fallen victim to businesses choosing not to obey labor laws and deliberately overworking their employees for up to 10 hours a night on a school night. 

An OPHS student wising to ramain anonymous source said, “I get home from school at 2 o’clock. I take a nap and work my 4-12 shift. It sucks, but there is nothing I can do about it because the money is good.” She is also aware that she is illegally working.

The same student also mentions,“By the time I am in my bed and fully showered, it is already 1 in the morning, and I get a maximum of 5 hours of sleep.”

Students are sacrificing their education to meet the needs of their employers.

Minors are stunting their development in their early teenage years. Some developmental psychologists share their concerns.  According to the NIH, “Adolescence should be a time of exploration—a time to figure out who one is and what path one should follow. According to this point of view, too much work may have severe opportunity costs with respect to healthy identity formation.”

Teenagers are giving up their extracurricular activities such as sports games, school dances, and family gatherings because their hands are tied in dealing with their employers. 

Teenagers are being thrown into harsh predicaments and are sacrificing their precious teen years. Many youth start working at a young age with quick-cash jobs, such as cutting grass and snow shoveling. As the latter years of highschool go on, teenagers will score higher respected jobs that are arguably beneficial for them. It is said that teenagers who have a high demanding job learn key life skills. Minors can develop a sense of independence, accountability, and responsibility. But at what point is this truly beneficial? 

The issue of teenagers working has always been a controversial subject. On one hand, youth labor is applauded and on the other end it is frowned upon. In the end, it all comes down to how exactly young adults are learning such important skills. If teenagers are sacrificing the last years they have to explore and be reckless, what type of adults can they really become anyway?