British Columbia: New rules protect young workers July 28 2021
Beginning October 15, 2021 in accordance with the Employment Standards Act, the general working age in British Columbia will go up from 12 to 16. This new rule will protect young people and specify age appropriate jobs.
In accordance with the Employment Standards Act, the occupations or situations that are now generally treated as unsafe for youth under 16 include:
- repairing, maintaining or operating heavy machinery
- places where a minor is not permitted to enter
- construction sites, heavy manufacturing and heavy industrial work
- sites designed to retain an oxygen-deficient or toxic atmosphere
- walk-in freezers or coolers, other than to place or retrieve an item
- lifting, carrying or moving heavy items or animals
- using, handling or applying hazardous substances, such as pesticides.
- And more.