Labor Agency Plays Hardball With 12-13 Year Old Umps

Chicago Tribune | April 18, 2002 | Ted Gregory

[tom paine 2]

Twelve-year-old Brian Glennon planned to spend his summer calling balls and strikes for 8-year-old batters, earning $10 a game from the Darien Youth Club baseball league. But thanks to an anonymous complaint, Brian and 35 other young umpires have been fired before the first pitch.

Citing child-labor laws, the Illinois Department of Labor told the league in March to stop paying umpires who are not yet 14.

"It kind of stinks," said Brian, who completed umpiring classes during the winter to qualify for the job, "because there's absolutely no point to it if you're not going to get paid."

[tom paine 2]

Big Brother at it again.

[goldstategop]

Gov't message to teen kids: welfare pays more than going to work and you won't be kicked off the rolls. Be a co-dependent today!!!

[What Is Ain't]

I hope these kids remember to vote dem when they become of age.

[DrDavid]

So, its illegal to pay the kids to work, but OK if they do it for free?

I thought we abolished slavery years ago!

[goodnesswins]

"Meanwhile, enterprising parents are plotting, talking about tipping the volunteer umpires, or passing the baseball cap at games."

I sure hope the parents follow through and do this - although then the battle will become "reporting income" for the kids. Kids NEED ways to earn money these days....THIS MAKES ME SO ANGRY!

[proxy_user]

This is supposed to be a game. The boys would learn a lot more if they were not only the players and the umpires, but the coaches and the managers. Maybe you could allow the parents and other adults to watch the games, but only if they behave themselves.

[Spell Correctly]

I hope they remember to vote GOP.

[jackbill]

Stories like this make me want to slap these bureaucrats upside the head.

With exceptions for especially harmful jobs, kids should be allowed to work whenever their PARENTS say that it's OK.

I started working at 12, delivering newspapers. At 16 I was working at the newspaper, around "dangerous" machinery. Didn't stunt my growth.

I was also the first in a long line of kids cleaning Linotype machines who didn't lose the tip of a finger.

[Ditto]

Meanwhile, enterprising parents are plotting, talking about tipping the volunteer umpires, or passing the baseball cap at games.

Then you'll have the IRS busting these kids for unreported income.

[Ferris]

Remember folks...

Voluntary free enterprise business solves problems where they actually do exist...

Force backed government creates problems where they DO NOT exist...

The sheeple must learn this or they will not survive...

[DrDavid]

... Force backed government creates problems where they DO NOT exist...

The sheeple must learn this or they will not survive...

I think you meant:
The sheeple must learn this or those that resist the Government will not survive...

The ignorance of the sheeple could end up destroying the people who contribute to FreeRepublic. We will be the ones who become enemies of the State.

[Ferris]

I think you meant: The sheeple must learn this or those that resist the Government will not survive...

Sadly, even those sheep who do not resist government will not survive...

As force backed government continues its never ending increase of usurping values created by the value producing individual, eventually there will be no more values for the government to take...

All will then perish under the weight of the giant...

Not just the sheep who resist, but the government loving sheep too...

The ignorance of the sheeple could end up destroying the people who contribute to FreeRepublic. We will be the ones who become enemies of the State.

Very true...

[DrDavid]

I think the sheeple who accept the government care and feeding will last longer (not much) than those of us who stand for freedom of government oppression.