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HB 4762

Labor: youth employment; youth employment in residential building construction; allow under certain conditions. Amends sec. 19 of 1978 PA 90 (MCL 409.119).

2025-2026 Regular Session

The bill allows 16+ minors to work in residential construction if they have OSHA 10, complete a state CTE trades program, work under a trained supervisor, and avoid high-risk tasks

bill electronically reproduced 08/13/2025
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Bill Summary · HB 4762

HB 4762 — Summary (House Bill introduced March 13, 2025)

Purpose / Intent

HB 4762 amends Section 19 of the Youth Employment Standards Act (1978 PA 90; MCL 409.119) to explicitly allow, under specified conditions, employment of minors in residential building construction. The bill aims to expand authorized youth work opportunities—particularly for older teens who have completed safety and vocational training—while establishing safety and supervisory safeguards.

Key provisions

  • Amends MCL 409.119 to add a specific exception permitting minors 16 years of age or older to be employed in residential building construction if all of the following are met:

    • The minor holds a valid 10‑hour Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) training certification.
    • The minor has completed a state‑approved career and technical education (CTE) trades program.
    • The minor works under the direct supervision of an individual who:
    • Holds a valid OSHA 10‑hour certification,
    • Is at least 21 years old,
    • Has at least 2 years of related work experience.
    • The minor does not work on structures or tasks taller than 6 feet, specifically including scaffolding, roofs, superstructures, or ladders.
    • The work complies with all other applicable laws.

  • Retains existing exceptions in Section 19 for various youth activities (domestic chores, newspaper sales, shoe shining, employment by parent/guardian business, certain farm work per NAICS sector 11, school employment for students 14+, and unpaid nonhazardous volunteer construction for charitable housing organizations).

  • Clarifies definitions and limits for the unpaid charitable housing volunteer exception (e.g., “charitable housing organization,” “low‑income person” defined as ≤60% of statewide median gross income, and what constitutes “nonhazardous construction work”). Lists activities considered “great risk” (excavation, highway/bridge/street construction, wrecking, demolition, new commercial or multiple residential construction).

  • School attendance restriction: work by minors required to attend school must be outside school hours unless part of a work‑related educational program.

Who/what is affected

  • Primary beneficiaries: minors aged 16+ who complete OSHA 10 training and a state‑approved CTE trades program; CTE programs and employers in residential construction.
  • Employers: residential construction firms and contractors that hire trained minors must ensure supervisory and training requirements are met.
  • Schools and CTE providers: increased demand for approved trades programs and credential verification.
  • Regulators and insurers: possible increased need for enforcement, verification of certifications, and attention to liability/insurance issues.

Procedural / timeline status

  • Introduced by Rep. Jason Woolford on March 13, 2025.
  • Read first time and referred to committee (Higher Education initially; later referred to Committee on Economic Competitiveness as of Aug 13, 2025).
  • Committee activity: public hearings, substitute considered, reported favorably as substituted (April 2025); placed on General State Calendar (May 5, 2025); laid on the table subject to call.
  • Companion bill: SB 1273.
  • Bill electronically reproduced Aug 13, 2025. No effective date specified in the provided text.

Potential impacts / considerations

  • Expands supervised career pathways for older teens into construction trades while imposing training and supervisory safeguards to address safety risks.
  • Implementation will require clear processes for verifying OSHA certifications, CTE program completion, and supervisor qualifications, and coordination among schools, employers, and enforcement agencies.
  • Safety advocates may raise concerns about residual risk despite limits (e.g., prohibition on work at heights >6 feet).

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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