Plymouth-Canton Community Schools will stop issuing youth work permits beginning Friday, Oct. 2, when Michigan shifts the process to a free state-run online system.
Students under 18 who need a work permit must now use the Youth Employment Permit Portal (YEPP), run by the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity (LEO). The district announced the change on its website, telling families that neither P-CCS high schools nor the district office will handle permits after Oct. 1.
The change affects P-CCS students under 18 who need a new work permit, including students at Canton, Plymouth and Salem high schools.
What changed
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed Public Act 196 of 2024, originally House Bill 5594, in January 2025. The law, introduced by State Rep. Phil Skaggs (D-East Grand Rapids), moved permit authority from local school districts to LEO. The Oct. 2 launch date falls 18 months after the law took effect in April 2025, according to the Small Business Association of Michigan.
Andrew Niedzinski, director of LEO's bureau of employment relations, told WNEM the portal will make the process faster. "This is going to be an easier process for them getting their work permit," Niedzinski said Friday, Sept. 25. "I think about my own experience, a long time ago, having to go to the school during summer hours … there's just a small amount of time when you can get that permit signed off by the school. And now you can have it done on the weekend, or at night, at 1 a.m. if you wanted to."
How the new process works
The permit process has four steps, according to the district:
- The student creates a YEPP account and enters personal, parent or guardian, school and employer information.
- YEPP notifies the employer, who provides job duties, wage, hours and shift details.
- The state reviews the submission. Schools no longer approve permits.
- Once approved, the student and employer are notified and the permit is active in YEPP.
Existing permits still valid
Students who already hold a school-issued work permit do not need a new one. According to legal analysis from Littler Mendelson, permits issued before Oct. 2 remain valid unless the student changes employers or worksites. LEO has encouraged employers to register on YEPP before Friday to avoid delays.
Under the new law, employers must also notify LEO directly when a minor's employment ends, according to the Michigan Chamber of Commerce.
Families can access the portal at michigan.gov/leo/initiatives/youth-employment. LEO also posted a demonstration webinar on YouTube, recorded Thursday, Sept. 24, that walks through the registration and permit steps.
