CA Labor Commissioner Introduces On-line System to Obtain Minors' Temporary Entertainment Work Permits

LOS ANGELES, Jan 11, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The California Department of Industrial Relations' Division of Labor Standards Enforcement (commonly known as the Labor Commissioner's office) has made it easier for California employers and minors to obtain employment in the entertainment industry. Assembly Bill 1401 allows the minor's parent or guardian to obtain a one-time 10 day Temporary Entertainment Work Permit, upon completion of an on-line application and payment of a $50 permit fee. The new law went into effect on Jan 1.

Parents or guardians of a minor who wish to work in the entertainment industry can now access the permit through an easy-to-use on-line system. Since the new law allows for the 10 Day Temporary Work Permit to be issued upon completion of the application and payment of the permit fee, minors may begin working as soon as the temporary permit is granted. 

"We have adopted a process that balances the needs of minors who want to work, the employers who employ them, and protects the security of children which is of paramount concern," said Labor Commissioner Julie Su. "The system also has an on-line verification that is secure and available for employers and studio teachers to verify the eligibility of a minor under this 10-day Temporary Entertainment Work Permit." 

This on-line system eliminates uncertainty and delay for parents, minors and employers of the previous application system which required submission of the paperwork and fees by mail. The permit is only available for minors who have not previously worked in the entertainment industry and under certain conditions. The Labor Commissioner worked with industry stakeholders to test the on-line permit and verification process before it went live.

"This signals a commitment to providing improved services and enhanced tools to support the industries, employers and employees of California," Su continued.

All proceeds collected at the issuance of the 10 Day Entertainment Work Permit go to the Entertainment Work Permit Fund, which is used to pay the costs of administering the program.

The State selected Unify Corporation to create the on-line system. The application can be found at the Department of Industrial Relations' web site at: https://permits.dir.ca.gov/tewp/.

The Division of Labor Standards Enforcement (DLSE) protects employees' rights in the workplace while preserving a level playing field for employers who comply with the Labor Code by adjudicating wage claims, investigating discrimination and public works complaints, and enforcing state labor law and Industrial Welfare Commission wage orders. To learn more about the functions of the California Labor Commissioner, visit our Web site at www.dir.ca.gov/dlse. Employees that have work-related questions or complaints can call the California Workers' Information Hotline at 1-866-924-9757.

CONTACT: Erika Monterroza, Dean Fryer, +1-510-286-1161

SOURCE The California Department of Industrial Relations