Saskatchewan's minimum working age is now fair for all

    REGINA, July 22 /CNW/ - Restaurant owners are pleased with Saskatchewan's
new minimum working age regulations, which will create a fair and balanced
labour pool for all employers.
    Today's announcement by Labour Minister Rob Norris establishes a general
minimum working age of 16, and allows those between the ages of 14 and 16 to
work once certain conditions are met, including parental consent and
employment standards training.
    "Today's announcement brings true equality to all employers in
Saskatchewan," says Courtney Donovan, Vice President Manitoba-Saskatchewan for
the Canadian Restaurant and Foodservices Association (CRFA). "In a competitive
labour market, offering employers and employees equal access to all job
opportunities in the province is crucial to sustain Saskatchewan's strong
economy."
    Until early 2009, young workers under the age of 16 were forbidden from
working in restaurants, hotels, hospitals, nursing homes and educational
institutions. CRFA has long advocated for a level playing field, where the
minimum working age is the same for all industries.
    "Saskatchewan restaurants provide a safe, responsible working environment
for young people to hone essential skills that they will use throughout their
careers," says Donovan.
    The foodservice industry employs more than 32,000 people in Saskatchewan.
Currently, half of the workers in Saskatchewan restaurants are between the
ages of 16 and 24, and foodservice jobs represent 18% of total youth
employment in the province.

    CRFA is one of Canada's largest business associations, with 33,000
members representing independent and chain restaurants, bars, caterers,
institutions and other foodservice providers. Canada's $60-billion foodservice
industry employs more than one million people in communities across the
country.

For further information: Courtney Donovan, CRFA Vice President
Manitoba-Saskatchewan, [phone] or [phone] or [e-mail];
Jill Holroyd, CRFA Vice President Research and Communications, [phone]
or [e-mail]