Teenage Workplace Problems
Many teenagers take on a part-time job to earn some extra spending money and learn critical skills about the workplace that they will use for many years. Approximately 2.3 million adolescents between the ages of 15 and 17 were working in the United States in 2008, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. With that many teens working, there are bound to be some teenage workplace problems. Young workers, wanting to act like adults, may have difficulty dealing with some of these issues.
Other People Are Reading
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Peer Pressure
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Teens may be exposed to many of the same pressures at work that they are exposed to at school. However, at work, teens are exposed to adults who may be a bad influence as well. Young adults who drink alcohol, smoke or use drugs not only influence the young workers in these habits, they may also provide easy access to some of these vices because they can purchase alcohol and cigarettes legally. The younger workers may want to be accepted by their new older friends and may be more likely to participate in potentially harmful activities.
Workplace Injury
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The U.S. Department of Labor reports that 434 workers between the ages of 14 and 24 died from workplace accidents in the United States in 2008 and 139,000 experienced a workplace injury. Teens are subject to many of the same workplace hazards as adults, even though they cannot use hazardous machinery or equipment. Employers must use safety techniques and training to ensure the safety of their workers, but these programs may need to be focused on teens specifically. Often, younger workers do not have the experience and maturity of their older counterparts, and they may not understand workplace hazards as readily. Employers should provide safety training as necessary for their younger workers.
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Sexual Harassment
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Teenagers, particularly adolescent girls, can be easy targets for sexual harassment. They usually are working in low-paying part-time jobs, and they may have transient managers who are low-paid and often poorly trained. The presence of adolescents provides an easy target for sexual aggression, which may be in the form of verbal comments and unwanted touching, or it could include sexual assault. Young workers may not be as confident or willing to speak out about incidents of sexual harassment, fearing that they will lose their jobs or that they will not be accepted. Sexual harassment that involves unwanted touching is a federal crime, regardless of the age of the victim.
What Parents Can Do
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A parent of a working teenager must be able to communicate with his child about what is happening in the workplace. While working a job may be their first step toward adulthood, your kids still need your involvement and support. Wise employers understand that this is important and will not mind parental involvement concerning young workers, especially if the involvement does not interfere with normal work. Parents must also talk to their teenage workers about these concerns and help educate them about how to remain safe and productive at work.
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