Wage and Hour Division (WHD)

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HOUSTON, TX -- Teens planning to work this summer will get key advice at the YouthRules! Rally/Job Fair from 9:00 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturday, April 2 at Houston’s George R. Brown Convention Center, Third Floor, Exhibit Hall G, 1001 Avenida De Los Americas.

The free event aims to educate young workers aged 14-24 about legal protections, identifying potential on-the-job safety risks, and getting the training they need to avoid injury. Information about summer and post-high school employment will be available, as well as job search tips on interviewing and resumes. Al Garza’s Martial Arts America Demo Team, KPTY 104.9 and Sunny 99.1 will provide music and entertainment. The day will also feature a game show with prizes.

Federal, state and local experts will distribute information and answer questions about teens and their summer job search. Topics will include: the jobs teens can and cannot do, the hours teens can work, age requirements and how teens can stay safe on the job. Participating employers will accept job applications on site as well as conduct interviews.

“Every year millions of teens work in part-time or summer jobs,” said Cynthia Watson, regional administrator for the Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division in Dallas. “This event will offer guidance and direction aimed at educating area teenagers and their parents about workplace protections and available employment services to ensure positive and safe work experiences."

According to the Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2003 the nation’s work-related teen deaths totaled 137, of which eight were in the state of Texas. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health estimates that more than 210,000 American youth suffer occupational injuries every year and over 70,000 of these injuries are serious enough to warrant emergency room treatment.

“We must ensure that the work teens are hired to do doesn’t jeopardize their health and well-being,” said John Miles, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s regional administrator in Dallas. “For many, it will be a first job experience and it should be positive.”

The YouthRules! event is being hosted by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division and Occupational Safety and Health Administration in Houston, the American Society of Safety Engineers Gulf Coast Chapter, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Worksource, the City of Houston, along with local businesses. Sponsors include the American Society of Safety Engineers Gulf Coast Chapter, Voluntary Protection Program Participants Association-Region VI, Valero Refining, FabEnCo-the Safety Gate Co., Bayer Material Science, Construction Safety & Health Inc., ChevronPhillips and ExxonMobile Production Co.

The rally/job fair is part of the national YouthRules! Outreach Campaign, launched in May 2002 by U.S. Labor Secretary Elaine L. Chao. The campaign is designed to educate young workers, parents, educators and prospective employers about the laws that affect workers under the age of 18. Additional information on YouthRules! can be found at www.youthrules.dol.gov. For more information on the YouthRules!Rally/Job Fair, call (713) 339-5500, Ext. 243.

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U.S. Department of Labor releases are accessible on the Internet at www.dol.gov. The information in this news release will be made available in alternate format (large print, Braille, audio tape or disc) from the COAST office upon request. Please specify which news release when placing your request at (202) 693-7828 or TTY (202) 693-7755. The Labor Department is committed to providing America’s employers and employees with easy access to understandable information on how to comply with its laws and regulations. For more information, please visit www.dol.gov/compliance.