Court Opinion

ID: 9740681
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 20:40:17.602214+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:24:19.718469
License: Public Domain

MILLER, Chief Justice
(concurring specially).
I generally agree with the majority holding, but write specially on Issue II concerning the contributory negligence defense.
As the majority states, whether a child is employed in a dangerous occupation is a question for the jury. If they so find, liability under the child labor statute is *792absolute. Thus, in this case, the fact that Tyler was certified under the F.L.S.A. to operate the tractor was admissible on the issue of whether the occupation was dangerous. And such evidence was so admitted here. But, to totally exclude such trained individuals from the protections of the child labor statute’s protection is a legislative function. It must be remembered that the child labor statute is designed to protect youth from their own careless acts. To subject these children to a contributory negligence defense would, in my opinion, defeat the statute’s purpose.
Additionally, I feel compelled to state that I respectfully disagree with Justice Sabers’ position that SDCL 32-12-12 and 32-12-22.1 conflict with the majority holding. The fact that Tyler could legally operate certain farm machinery on highways without a license, or without his parents’ supervision, could certainly be used to show that his occupation was not dangerous. However, to hold, as Justice Sabers seemingly would, that because a child could legally operate such machinery, all children employed in any such occupation (no matter how dangerous) are subject to the defense of contributory negligence, makes no sense to me. Applying that theory, an employer who permits a five year old to drive a tractor (and it is legal under SDCL 32-12-22.1) would not be guilty of violating the child labor statute. In addition, it is just as plausible to interpret these statutes as being the legislature’s recognition that most farm kids are driving machinery from field to field for their parents, not for some employer.
I am troubled that Justice Sabers’ dissent offers no authority for the assertion that Tyler’s safety training removed him from the class of persons the child labor statute was designed to protect. SDCL 60-12-3 exempts from its prohibitions employment of children over fourteen years of age to dispense gasoline, diesel fuel and oil at service stations. Thus, the legislature is aware of how to remove certain classes of persons from protection under the statute, if it so chooses. By clear implication, the legislature did not intend to remove safety-trained youth farm employees from the child labor statute’s protection. In the final analysis, it is eertainly within the legislature’s realm to exclude from the child labor statute’s provisions children who are certified to operate farm equipment pursuant to the F.L.S.A. However, were we to draft another exception into the statute by judicial fiat, we would be invading the legislature's prerogative.