New Laws Could Restrict Broadway Child Performers

The New York State Department of Labor is seeking to toughen labor laws for child performers.
New Laws Could Restrict Broadway Child Performers
1/16/2011
Updated:
1/16/2011
[xtypo_dropcap]T[/xtypo_dropcap]he New York State Department of Labor is seeking to toughen labor laws for child performers.

The proposed regulations aim to cut child performer’s hours, integrate schooling during work days when working over three days a week, and require parents to open trust accounts for the children, according to NY1. The new rules would prohibit children under the age of 18 from working prior to 5 a.m. and past 10 p.m., and limit the number of hours they could work.

According to the Department of Labor, the current laws were created in 2003 to increase protection of the performers. The responsibility of ensuring the health, education, and general welfare of child performers was given to the state’s Commissioner of Labor in 2008.

“Hairspray,” “Billy Elliot,” “The Lion King,” and “Les Miserables” are among the shows that include child performers, according to DNA.