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Summer Jobs Tougher to FindJune 13, 2011 Marcus Rauhut High school and college students looking for summer work can expect to find fewer "now hiring" signs and more competition for jobs. Franklin County area businesses that rely on seasonal help from students said they plan to maintain staffing levels on par with last year. Those businesses that rely on summer have already done much of their hiring as early as February or March so that employees will be trained by the time warmer weather breaks. "I think with the economic environment, it's tough for people to find jobs. I would say there's not a lot of people hiring, but I know in this business we always start hiring in February, March to have them trained by spring time," said Anthony Nori, of the Meadows Frozen Custard in Chambersburg. Those already hired said it was a challenging job market. "Some who were just hired said it was really tough. They've put in applications everywhere and some were looking for four months and haven't heard anything," Nori said. Jonathan Buchert, owner of Bravo Fireworks in Chambersburg, also finished much of his seasonal hiring much earlier in the year. He said he relies mostly on college students because minors cannot work in fireworks stores. Staffing levels this year are slightly below last year. "We tried to streamline," Buchert said. "Business is good, but I think that we've handpicked enough of the good kids and we're hiring less this year intentionally." Jenny Schmutzler of Bruster's Real Ice Cream said she plans to maintain similar staffing levels compared to last year, though she's encouraged by business so far this season. "This summer has been pretty busy for us. We may be looking to hire more, but at this moment, we just hired two and we have kids that want to work a lot," she said. She and her brother Jeff are also full-time teachers, so they get a lot of interest from students seeking summer work. This year, she said students looking for work may just have to be a little more patient. "Just driving around town, you used to see 'Now Hiring' signs. You don't see that much around town like you used to. I have kids that say, 'I put in an application at so many places and never got a call back.' So that tells you people aren't hiring as much," she said. "I know a lot of kids in high school who have jobs, so there must be jobs out there, but they just have to be a little patient and keep applying." As heightened unemployment lingers, teen unemployment remains close to 25 percent, according to the latest figures from U.S. Bureau of Labor statistics. While employers added teen employees over the past month, the bureau said overall teen employment in May is down from last year. Marcus Rauhut can be reached at mrauhut@publicopinionnews.com and 262-4752. Work permits for minors Before a minor is eligible to work, he or she must register for a work permit, which is issued by the school district superintendent or principal. To apply, the parent or legal guardian of the minor must fill out a form, and the minor must be examined by the registering officer. There are two kinds of work permits: general employment and vacation certificates. General employment permits apply to minors ages sixteen to eighteen and allow them to work during the school year. Vacation permits allow minors, 12 to 14, to work as golf caddies and minors 14 to 18 to work on any day during breaks from school. To be eligible for these permits, the prospective employer must sign a statement describing the employment and the number of hours per day and week the minor will be employed. During the summer, 16- and 17-year-olds can work a maximum of eight hours per day and no more than 44 hours per week. There are no starting and stopping time restrictions during the summer. In Pennsylvania, the minimum age for employment is 14, unless you are employed on a farm or domestic service or meet other exceptions. Everyone under 18 years of age needs a employment certificate, unless you are 17 and have graduated from high school. - Source: Pennsylvania Attorney General, Department of Labor and Industry ----- Source: Copyright (c) 2011, Public Opinion, Chambersburg, Pa. |
