One strategy providers can turn to for easing both short- and long-term staffing pains is underutilized populations, such as minors.
While these untapped workforce pools can have certain restrictions or unique characteristics (often why they’re underutilized in the first place), those can be managed or worked around to fill valuable staff roles that also reduce the strain on the rest of the workforce. Understanding those restrictions and the best practices for managing those makes these potential employees more accessible.
Hiring Minors Toolkit
The ARRM Workforce Solutions Committee is launching the first in a series of toolkit resources for recruiting and employing underutilized workforce populations, beginning with minors. This resource, located at www.arrm.org in the Members Area, contains a wealth of information around what under-18 employees can and cannot do in home and community-based service (HCBS) settings, as well as labor laws that govern their employment. It also contains helpful resources around the unique recruitment, training and supervision they require.
Top Three Things to Know About Hiring Minors
There are several different factors to consider when employing minors, but a few stand out.
Job function limitations
Staff under the age of eighteen are actually able to perform a majority of the work of a typical DSP but there certain clear restrictions that should be known by the employer and acknowledged by the employee and their fellow co-workers. These include not handling medications and not operating certain equipment while on the job, such as power hydraulic lifts and driving vehicles. Ensure you know the full range of limitations and make those clear to the employee.
Employment boundaries
Several labor laws apply across industries, placing limitations on when and for how long a minor can work. For example, whether the employee has school the next day or not changes how late they may be scheduled to work. All labor law regulations are clearly listed on state and federal Department of Labor websites.
Additional incentives to work
Remember that many sixteen- and seventeen-year-olds are beginning to think about college applications. Regardless of the school or program they are considering, they know admissions officers will be looking at more than just their transcripts. HCBS employers can offer positions with significant skills and experience development opportunities, as well as a demonstration of giving back to the community (while also getting paid!).
Why Hire Sixteen and Seventeen-Year-Olds?
You might wonder, “Why deal with the specialties of employing minors, especially since they may be likely to become less available when they graduate high school?” Reaching out to high school students to expose them to the field of community-based services and its potential career tracks helps increase the number of people who may consider the field as a career option, as opposed to nursing, other health care fields or entirely different sectors all together.
Similarly, while certain regulations decrease the flexibility of job functions a minor may be able to perform, as an additional staff person they can increase the flexibility and effectiveness of more senior DSPs who can more comfortably focus their attention where it’s most needed.
Access and download the Hiring Minors Toolkit, produced by the ARRM Workforce Solutions Committee
Are you currently employing minors? Share your tips or questions in the comments below.
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