Exploitation of Teens In The Workplace

I have a 21 year old daughter and a 19 year old son.  Both of them got jobs just after they turned 16.  I was proud of them for finding employment on their own with very little prompting from us.  I could immediately see the benefits of teens having part-time jobs.  They learn about accountability, the value of money, how to work with the public, how to work with others, not to mention the pride that comes from earning your own money.  That can’t be understated. 

Both my children have gone through many supervisors and managers.  One thing came to my attention early on and that was how often teens are exploited and taken advantage of in the workplace.  I’ve heard many stories of blatant put downs in front of other people, managers putting in little effort while younger workers are asked to pick up the slack, being asked to work through breaks and much more.  Both have also had excellent managers who have treated them with respect, so this is not to paint all managers and supervisors of young workers with the same brush.  It becomes our job as parents to listen attentively when our son or daughter shares an incident from their workplace.  We can give them permission to assert themselves if we deem the situation to be unjust.  Give them the appropriate language to use and emphasize that they deserve the same respect and consideration as anyone else.   

Another shocking reality that’s happening among teens in the workplace, is sexual harassment. Sadly incidents often go unreported and no one but the victim is aware what is happening.  On Friday, February 20th, PBS NOW is taking an in depth   look at this.  It is a collaboration between NOW and the Schuster Institute for Investigative Journalism at Brandeis University.  If you have a teen or a soon-to-be teen, you won’t want to miss this. 

 Click here for a special preview excerpt of the report.  You can check your local listings for PBS here.