A.G. Gancarski
Florida’s Governor says jobs for immigrants come at the expense of gainful employment for native born youth.
“What’s wrong with expecting our young people to be working part time now? That’s how it used to be when I was growing up,” Gov. Ron DeSantis said during a discussion at New College.
“Why do we say we need to import foreigners, even import an illegal, when, you know, teenagers used to work at these resorts? College students should be (doing) all this stuff. It’s like you go $30, $40,000 in debt to just take loans, you’re not expected to work at all. So I think the priorities have been jumbled.”
The Governor didn’t clarify what jobs beyond resort work that he wanted Florida youth to do.
Roughly 37% of Floridians aged 16-19 have jobs. The labor participation rate is higher for those under the age of 25; 61.2% of men and 59.6% of women work.
Legislation approved last year (HB 49) actually made it easier for young people to work. Workers under the age of 15 can work 15 hours a week when school isn’t in session. And 16- and 17-year-old workers can work after 11 p.m. for more than 30 hours in one week when school is in session, and for more than six days in a row in a given week.
Rules could relax further this year.
A bill from Sen. Jay Collins (SB 918) would let older teenagers work the third shift: before 6:30 a.m. and after 11 p.m. on school nights. Younger teenagers could work more if they had GEDs, were homeschooled, or graduated high school.
21 comments
Chuck Anziulewicz
March 20, 2025 at 12:32 pm
Young people don’t want to do these jobs because they are narcissistic enought to believe they can make more money being online “influencers” and “content creators.”
Ocean Joe
March 20, 2025 at 12:44 pm
The newly self anointed party of the workers, which battles unions, bans mandatory water breaks, opposes a living wage or even a rise in the minimum wage shouldn’t expect teenagers to fight over jobs in the bean fields.
Peachy
March 20, 2025 at 12:56 pm
Come on. Young people nowadays want to sit home, create content, and lure people to pay sites. Easy money. No one wants to work.
TJC
March 20, 2025 at 1:01 pm
“Young people nowadays…no one wants to work.”
Peachy, you don’t get out much, do you. Maybe it’s just as well.
Peachy
March 20, 2025 at 1:14 pm
Ha! Ha! This stupid comment doesn’t deserve a
Response.
Cynthia Marie Jorgensen
March 20, 2025 at 7:56 pm
Not true. But would I want my kid to work in the hot sun for 8 hours without nearby bathroom, around chemicals? He’ll, no
TJC
March 20, 2025 at 12:59 pm
“So I think the priorities have been jumbled,” says DeSantis in reference to work ethic.
Gosh, he could’ve been speaking to his pals in the Florida Legislature, the ones who prioritize working real hard on things like renaming the Gulf of Mexico and making sure every state government publication and school book says it’s now the Gulf of America. That hard work really solved a huge problem, didn’t it.
But really what he’s saying is that, if the deportation of undocumented workers in Florida is successful, we’re going to have to put kids to work whether they like it or not. Otherwise the state’s economy is going to go all to hell. Good work, Governor! You’ve got your priorities straight. Don’t forget to take pics of your kids on their first day of working in the strawberry fields!
Miami170
March 20, 2025 at 3:23 pm
It’s about time for some people to be humbled in this state and the rest of the country. Spoiled snowflake kids an adults
Victoria Olson
March 20, 2025 at 7:06 pm
Mr. Miami170 why don’t you send your children to work the fields? Oh you don’t have any or grown? Then you go work 10 hours in 100 degree weather picking crops. It is not Christian to tell others what to do when you won’t do it yourself or your just a hypocrite?
ScienceBLVR
March 20, 2025 at 12:59 pm
4 grandkids and it’s still like pulling teeth to get them over to mow the lawn. And I pay them. Pay them well and sometimes even a trip to Subway when they’re done. An 8-10-12 hour shift at a “Resort” as he calls it… not likely. Picking berries? Well, ok, soon enough we can put his theory to the test. I’ll be sure and let the kids know there are no water breaks, so better juice up beforehand!
Victoria Olson
March 20, 2025 at 1:48 pm
I think our Governor & Republicans need to lead by example, by showing us pictures of YOUR children working in hotels or picking crops. DeSatan needs to stop being in a fantasy world …children/teenagers are NOT going to work in hotels making beds, laundry, cleaning. Same goes for being in the hot 100 degree temperature for 10 hours picking crops parents would not send their kids to do this type of work. Our governor and Republicans have lost all common sense of decency and reality.
Peachy
March 20, 2025 at 2:11 pm
DeSantis has young children below 16 years. You want them working? Might that violate child labor laws?
Peachy
March 20, 2025 at 2:12 pm
Speaking of Republicans, has Hunter Biden ever had a job where daddy didn’t pull strings? Sitting on the board at Burisma is hysterical. 🤣
Miami170
March 20, 2025 at 3:24 pm
It’s not my fault you can’t get your kids to be productive. Helicopter Mom and Dad’s need to be humbled and humble their kids also.
Victoria Olson
March 20, 2025 at 7:12 pm
Mr Miami170 send your children to work in the fields, oh no children or grown? It is NOT Christian to tell others what to do when you won’t do it yourself. Why don’t you try picking veggies in 100 degree heat? Before making stupid comments
PeterH
March 20, 2025 at 2:32 pm
There are communities everywhere that simply don’t have enough qualified teenagers or adults for that matter to fill agricultural, hospitality, construction, health care, yard maintenance and other essential service needs. Currently the USA has an 8 million employee deficit.
Bill
March 20, 2025 at 2:47 pm
I though that kids were supposed to be moving themselves up the food chain so they could be knowledge workers rather than service workers. Seeing as the economy is geared toward paying knowledge workers more money, why would you want your kids out banging nails on somebodies roof with no water breaks for minimum wage. I guess he wants a highly educated workforce that can compete with Chinese and Asian workers in the global workforce yet happy to pick oranges in their spare time.
tom palmer
March 20, 2025 at 2:50 pm
The main reason people migrate to America is because there are jobs available Gov, DeSantis lives in a fantasy world. I mowed lawns and did odd jobs as a teenager, but I would not have lasted long in a citrus grove or a strawberry field. Besides back then that was how many blacks earned a living because jobs elsewhere were in short supply.
Rick
March 20, 2025 at 5:44 pm
I think most generations have complained about the youth of the day being spoiled but isn’t that we do as parents try to make sure our children have it better. It always makes me smile when privileged politicians talk about the lack of physical work ethics. Wonder whether DeSantis etal have ever had blisters from manual labor. Talk is cheap. If we had another depression like the thirties maybe our children would understand but is that what you want.
John S
March 20, 2025 at 7:06 pm
Shouldn’t college students be focused on college?
How many “resort” jobs will respect class schedules?
Michael K
March 20, 2025 at 10:46 pm
The sad truth is that the minimum wage is too low and jobs that once went to teens are now filled by the working poor who struggle to make ends meet. Our service economy generally does not pay well. And yes, the immigrants so vilified by this administration has been doing the jobs no one else wants. I doubt our governor would last a day in one of those jobs.