Clarifies which federal rules apply to the scope of the rulemaking authority of the Bureau of Labor and Industries regarding rules that govern the hours a minor can work.
House Bill 4013 amends Oregon’s youth employment law, ORS 653.307, to clarify the relationship between state rulemaking and federal child labor standards. It directs the Bureau of Labor and Industries (BOLI) to adopt rules for annual employment certificates for employers of minors and states that Oregon’s rules on the total hours minors may work may not be less restrictive than the federal Fair Labor Standards Act as in effect on January 1, 2026. The bill also allows Oregon to adopt more restrictive rules only when needed to implement or conform to changes in federal law or other state law that increase protections for minors.
The bill preserves the existing certificate process for employers hiring minors, including required application information about the number of minors employed, the work they will perform, and the machinery or equipment they will use. It also keeps BOLI’s authority to provide annual informational materials to employers, and to revoke an employer’s future ability to hire minors for noncompliance, after a hearing. School districts must continue to cooperate with BOLI by providing information about minors’ age and schooling when requested.
HB 4013’s main legal effect is to update and narrow BOLI’s rulemaking authority by tying Oregon’s minor-work-hour rules to the federal Fair Labor Standards Act as of a fixed date, while preserving the state’s ability to be more protective in specified circumstances. In practical terms, it affects employers who hire minors, BOLI’s enforcement and rulemaking duties, and school districts that assist with age and schooling verification. The bill was enacted as Chapter 7 of the 2026 Oregon Laws and takes effect January 1, 2027.
The general sentiment around the bill appears favorable but not unanimous. It passed both chambers with clear majorities, including a 34-21 House vote and an 18-11 Senate vote, and committee votes were also positive. That said, the floor margins suggest some legislative concern or disagreement, likely centered on how closely Oregon should align its child labor rules with federal standards and how much discretion BOLI should retain.
The main point of contention is the balance between regulatory clarity and state flexibility. Supporters likely viewed the bill as a straightforward clarification that reduces ambiguity about which federal rules govern minor work hours, while opponents may have been wary of limiting Oregon’s ability to set stronger protections or of locking in a federal standard by reference to a specific date. The bill’s focus on child labor, work-hour limits, employment certificates, and BOLI oversight are the key themes for search purposes.
HB 4013 amends ORS 653.307 to define the scope of BOLI’s rulemaking authority over minor employment certificates and the hours minors may work. It ties Oregon’s minimum standards to the federal Fair Labor Standards Act as of January 1, 2026, while preserving Oregon’s ability to adopt stricter rules when necessary to conform to federal changes or other state laws that increase protections. The bill continues existing employer certification, notice, enforcement, and school-district cooperation requirements, and it takes effect January 1, 2027.
The bill appears to have received generally favorable treatment in both chambers, with committee and floor votes showing majority support. At the same time, the House and Senate floor votes were not unanimous, indicating some reservations about the policy choice to anchor Oregon’s minor-work-hour rules to a specific federal baseline. Overall, the sentiment suggests broad agreement on clarifying the law, tempered by concern from some lawmakers about the implications for state-level child labor protections.
The central contention is whether Oregon should more tightly align its child labor hour rules with the federal Fair Labor Standards Act or preserve broader state discretion to regulate minors’ work hours. Supporters likely favored clarity and consistency for employers and regulators, while opponents may have objected to limiting BOLI’s authority or to freezing the federal reference date, which could constrain future state rulemaking. The bill’s passage with notable but not overwhelming margins suggests the debate was about the degree of state flexibility, not the existence of child labor regulation itself.