TITLE NINTH. Regulations Concerning Trade. After July 1, 1913, no female to work CHAPTER 175. GENERAL PROVISIONS RESPECTING TRADE. AN ACT to regulate the hours of employment and safeguard the health of females employed in the State of Delaware, in any mercantile, mechanical or manufacturing establishments, laundry, baking or printing establishments, telephone and telegraph office or exchange. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Delaware in General Assembly met: Section 1. That from and after the first day of July, nineteen hundred and thirteen, no female shall be employed or permitted to work in any mercantile, mechanone day in cer-ical or manufacturing establishment, laundry, baking or more than ten hours in any tain estab lishments Hours per week Only eight hours permit printing establishment, telephone and telegraph office or exchange, more than ten hours in any one day, or more than fifty-five hours in any one week; provided, however, that if any part of a female's daily employment is ted under cer- performed between the hours of eleven o'clock P. M. and seven o'clock A. M. of the following day, no such female shall be employed or permitted to work thereat, more than eight hours in any twenty-four hours; provided also, that the provisions of this Act shall not apply to feExceptions in males employed in the canning or preserving or preparation for canning or preserving of perishable fruits and vegetables; and provided, that any said female may be canning estab lishments GENERAL PROVISIONS RESPECTING TRADE. permitted to work twelve hours in one day only of each week, on the condition that her total hours of employment for any week shall not exceed fifty-five hours. ed by more cern or em employment those allowed Section 2. From and after the first day of July, nineteen hundred and thirteen, where a female is employed in the same day or week by more than one concern or Whem employemployer in any establishment or occupation named in than one conSection One of this Act, the total time of employment ployer hours of must not exceed that allowed per day or week in a sin- not to exceed gle establishment or occupation. It shall be the duty of by this act the employer to make diligent inquiry as to such previous or other employment of such female employee elsewhere, and as to the hours of such employment. Any person who shall require or permit a female to work in excess of the total time of employment permitted by this statute, shall be liable for a violation thereof, and the employment of such female employee in excess of the total time of employment permitted by law shall be presumed, in absence of evidence to the contrary, to be with knowledge of such violation. be employed six and one tinually with mission Section 3. From and after the first day of July, nine- No female to teen hundred and thirteen, no female shall be employed for more tha or permitted to work for more than six hours continu- half hours conously at one time in any establishment or occupation out an internamed in Section One of this Act, without an interval of at least three-quarters of an hour; except that such female may be so employed for not more than six and onehalf hours continuously at one time if such employment ends not later than half past one o'clock in the afternoon and if she is then dismissed for the remainder of the day. posted by Section 4. From and after the first day of July, nine- Notice to be teen hundred and thirteen, that every employer shall employers post and keep posted in a conspicuous place in every Printed notice to be furnished by Inspector Violation of act GENERAL PROVISIONS RESPECTING TRADE. room in any establishment or occupation named in Section One of this Act, in which any females are employed, a printed notice stating the number of hours such females are required or permitted to work on each day of the week, the hours of beginning and stopping such work, and the hours of beginning and ending the recess allowed for meals. The printed form of such notice shall be furnished by the inspector authorized by this Act. The employment of such female for a longer time in any day than that stated in the printed notice shall be deemed a violation of the provisions of this Act. The presence of any such female on the premises at any other hours than When female is those stated in the printed notice shall constitute prima premises out of facie evidence of a violation of this Act. Where the naworking hours constitutes ture of the business makes it impracticable to fix the reprima facia evidence of cess allowed for meals at the same time for all females violation employed, the inspector authorized to enforce this Act may issue a permit dispensing with the posting of the hours when the recess allowed for meals begins and ends, and requiring only the posting of the total number of hours which females are required or permitted to work on each day of the week and the hours of beginning and stopping such work. Such permit shall be kept by such employer upon such premises and exhibited to all inspectors authorized to enforce this Act. present on When impracticable to fix recess Chancellor to appoint an Inspector Salary Authority of Inspector to enter establishment Section 5. That the Chancellor of the State of Delaware is hereby authorized and directed, on or before the First day of May, A. D. nineteen hundred and thirteen to appoint one inspector to carry out the purposes of this Act, at a salary of One Thousand Dollars ($1,000.) per annum, to be paid in quarterly installments of Two Hundred and Fifty Dollars ($250.00). The term of office of said inspector shall be two years from the date of such appointment. Section 6. That the inspector authorized by this Act may in the discharge of the inspector's duties enter any GENERAL PROVISIONS RESPECTING TRADE. place, building or room where any labor is being performed by females which is affected by the provisions of this chapter whenever such inspector may have reasonable cause to believe that any such labor is being performed therein. lations to Section 7. That the inspector authorized by this Act To report vioshall visit and inspect the establishments and places of Atty-General employment named in Section One as often as practicable, during reasonable hours, and shall cause the provisions of this Act to be enforced therein, and shall report any cases of illegal employment contrary to the provisions of this Act to the Attorney General of the State of Delaware; the said inspector shall report in writing, at least once every year to the State Board of Health. Annual report The said report shall show-1. The number of establish- of Health and ments in the State where females are employed. 2. The number of females employed. 3. The number of inspection visits made. 4. The number of violations. 5. The number and dispositions of prosecutions under this Act, and in addition thereto, any matters in the knowledge of the said inspector pertinent to the purpose and enforcement of this Act. to State Board contents The State Board of Health shall incorporate such re- State Board of port or reports in its regular biennial printed report. Health to incorporate said report with its biennial report and third Section 8. That any person who violates or does not comply with any of the provisions of this Act shall upon conviction be punished for a first offense by a fine of not First, second less than Twenty Dollars nor more than Fifty Dollars; offenses and for a second offense, by a fine not less than Fifty Dollars nor more than Two Hundred Dollars; for a third offense by a fine of not less than Two Hundred and Fifty Dollars. penalties Invalidity of any part of this GENERAL PROVISIONS RESPECTING TRADE. Section 9. The invalidity of any portion of this Act act not to af- shall in no way affect the validity of any other portion fect validity of thereof, which can be given effect without such invalid any other portion part. Section 10. All Acts or parts of Acts inconsistent . herewith are hereby repealed. Approved March 20, A. D. 1913. |