The Future Logging Careers Act would exempt 16 and 17-year-old workers from federal child labor protections when employed in mechanized logging operations, including work with heavy machinery like feller-bunchers, forwarders, and log loaders. The bill specifically carves out an exception for teenagers working in logging operations owned or operated by their parents or legal guardians, even in jobs deemed particularly hazardous. However, the exemption does not apply to the most dangerous manual work, such as using chainsaws to fell trees or operating cable skidders. The legislation amends the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, the primary federal law protecting child workers, and does not specify any funding or implementation timeline. The bill affects teenagers seeking work in the logging industry and was introduced by a bipartisan group of senators in February 2025.
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