Summer is almost here!  With schools wrapping up their academic calendars, some high school students will soon be looking for summer jobs. And with the labor market as tight as it is, some employers who have not previously hired minors may be looking to do so to fill openings.

If you are new to hiring minors, be sure to check out the May 11, 2022, “Workplace Wake-Up with Jen” podcast on “Hiring Minors: How to Stay Out of Trouble,” where Jen provides the scoop on what employers need to know when hiring minors. This includes ensuring that your supervisors are notified of and trained on their responsibilities as mandated reporters.

Since January 2021, public and private sector employers with five or more employees must comply with Assembly Bill (“AB”) 1963, which designates “human resources employees” and supervisors of minors as “mandated reporters” under the California Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act (“CANRA”).  The law broadly defines “human resources employees” to include any employee whom the employer designates to receive complaints of misconduct, such as discrimination or harassment. So, even supervisors who do not directly supervise or work with minors may be considered mandated reporters under the CANRA, if they are authorized by the employer to accept complaints from employees. As a mandated reporter, these individuals must report suspected child abuse and neglect. Additionally, employers must provide written notice and training to all non-minor employees who are mandated reporters under the Act.

You can read more about complying with AB 1963 in our article, “’Mandated Reporter’ Requirements for Minor Employees.”  If needed, we can help employers determine who is a mandated reporter within their organization and draft a compliant notification for those individuals. We also provide a one-hour complaint training, but the final training of the year is June 9, 2022, so don’t miss out!