Abolishing youth rates will hurt teenemployment

11 April 2006

EMA Central survey results confirm that abolishing youth rates will hurt teenage employment in the region.

Almost two-thirds of respondents who currently employ 16 and 17 year olds said that they will employ fewer young people if youth minimum rates are abolished.

The jobs involved come from a wide range of industry groups throughout the region, according to Paul Winter of EMA Central.

"Young people are currently employed in a whole range of activities - office work, gift wrapping, cleaning, factory work, fruit packing, to name a few ," he said.

"These jobs offer young people a foot in the door, which they risk missing out on if youth rates are abolished."

A number of employers commented that the wage differential reflects the added costs of supervising and training 16 and 17 year olds when they start out. The majority of respondents already pay their youth workers above the current minimum.

ENDS

© Scoop Media