Saskatchewan’s minimum working age is now fair for all
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 22, 2009
REGINA – Restaurant owners are pleased with Saskatchewan’s new minimum working age regulations, which will create a fair and balanced labour pool for all employers.
Today’s announcement by Labour Minister Rob Norris establishes a general minimum working age of 16, and allows those between the ages of 14 and 16 to work once certain conditions are met, including parental consent and employment standards training.
“Today’s announcement brings true equality to all employers in Saskatchewan,” says Courtney Donovan, Vice President Manitoba-Saskatchewan for the Canadian Restaurant and Foodservices Association (CRFA). “In a competitive labour market, offering employers and employees equal access to all job opportunities in the province is crucial to sustain Saskatchewan’s strong economy.”
Until early 2009, young workers under the age of 16 were forbidden from working in restaurants, hotels, hospitals, nursing homes and educational institutions. CRFA has long advocated for a level playing field, where the minimum working age is the same for all industries.
“Saskatchewan restaurants provide a safe, responsible working environment for young people to hone essential skills that they will use throughout their careers,” says Donovan.
The foodservice industry employs more than 32,000 people in Saskatchewan. Currently, half of the workers in Saskatchewan restaurants are between the ages of 16 and 24, and foodservice jobs represent 18% of total youth employment in the province.
CRFA is one of Canada's largest business associations, with 33,000 members representing independent and chain restaurants, bars, caterers, institutions and other foodservice providers. Canada's $60-billion foodservice industry employs more than one million people in communities across the country.
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