The government presents proposal: More part-time jobs for young people aged between 13 and 17 years
The government has just presented a new proposal aimed at ensuring more part-time jobs for young people aged between 13 and 17 years. The initiative was presented at a press conference in Sorø by Minister for Employment Ane Halsboe-Jørgensen (Social Democrats), Minister of Economic Affairs Stephanie Lose (Venstre), and Minister for Culture Jakob Engel-Schmidt (Conservative Party).
According to the government, there are too few young people between the ages of 13 and 17 who currently have part-time jobs. Therefore, the proposal includes a number of changes to the existing rules, intended to make it easier for young people to obtain a job. Among other things, the government wishes to allow 13-15 year-olds who are still in primary school to perform a wider range of tasks and have fewer restrictions on where they can work.
As a specific example, Ane Halsboe-Jørgensen mentions that currently, young students are not allowed to operate a soft ice cream machine. This rule is set to be changed. She also points out that young people working at gas stations can work until 10 p.m., while those working at nursing homes must leave by 8 p.m. – this rule is also set to be relaxed.
For young people aged between 15 and 17, the government wishes to allow them to work at irregular hours in all sectors. Currently, only half of all young people aged between 13 and 17 have part-time jobs, which is 70,000 fewer than in the 1980s. Although the government aims to increase the number of young people with part-time jobs, the Minister of Employment does not want to set specific targets.
Ane Halsboe-Jørgensen emphasizes that it is up to individuals and their families to decide whether they want a part-time job or not. However, Minister of Culture Jakob Engel-Schmidt goes a step further and states that the goal is “as many as possible.” He emphasizes that the government believes it is healthy for young people to have a job alongside their studies and hopes for strong support from employers.
Minister of Economic Affairs Stephanie Lose adds that the current rules are so strict that some employers may be hesitant to hire young people for fear of making mistakes. The government also wants the public sector to contribute to creating more part-time jobs for young people. The aim is for a number of public institutions to offer at least one part-time job to individuals under 18 years of age.
In addition, the government plans to abolish the labor market contribution for young people, as previously announced. The labor market contribution, which is imposed on all employees, amounts to eight percent, and it will cost 165 million Danish kroner annually to abolish it. With this proposal, the government hopes to create more opportunities for young people who wish to gain work experience and earn their own money alongside their education.