Child Labor Law in 1959

I found an interesting poster showing the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Child Labor Law from July of 1959. If you were 14 or 15 years old in '59, you could work a maximum of 8 hours per day for a total of 44 hours per week. You could not work before 7 a.m. or after 7 p.m., and you had to take a lunch break after working for five hours.

Youths aged 14 to 15 were prohibited from:
*Working on any boat engaged in the transportation of passengers or merchandise.
*Working in public bowling alleys.
*Doing heavy work in the building trades
*Working at any manufacturing or mechanical occupation or process.
*Operating a power driven meat grinder.
*Operating a motor vehicle of any description.
*Working upon any steam, electric or other railroad.
*Working on scaffolding.
*Stripping, assorting or manufacturing tobacco.
*Working in any tunnel.

This was just a small part of the prohibited occupations. You also had to have a General or Vacation Employment Certificate issued by School Authorities in order to work in PA.

Enjoy more interesting historical facts and photos of Erie, PA at: Old Time Erie