Gov. Kim Reynolds loosens Iowa child labor laws to let teens work more hours. What to know:

Iowa teens can work longer hours and take jobs that were previously banned under a law signed Friday by Gov. Kim Reynolds.

"In Iowa, we understand there is dignity in work and we pride ourselves on our strong work ethic," Reynolds said in a statement Friday. "Instilling those values in the next generation and providing opportunities for young adults to earn and save to build a better life should be available."

Senate File 542 allows 16- and 17-year-olds to serve alcohol in restaurants with a parent's permission and to work in some currently prohibited jobs as part of a work-based learning program. The law permits teens as young as 14 to work up to six hours a day during the school year and to work longer into the evening.

While Republicans characterized the changes as common sense measures, the law saw some of the most high-profile opposition of this year's legislative session from critics who said it could put children in unsafe situations at work.

Labor unions condemned the changes, organizing protests around the state. And federal Department of Labor officials criticized the proposal, saying parts of it are inconsistent with federal law.

Democrats in the House pushed for amendments that Republicans adopted to take out the most controversial aspects of the bill, but the minority party ultimately voted against the final legislation.

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“What we’ve done together is make a bill less egregious,” said House Minority Leader Jennifer Konfrst, D-Windsor Heights.

What jobs can Iowa teenagers work?

Sixteen- and 17-year-olds are now able to work in some jobs that were previously banned for juveniles if they are part of an approved training program with supervision and safety precautions.

Those work activities may include tasks such as woodworking, operating power saws and demolition. Some dangerous jobs, like working with explosives or poisonous dyes, would remain off-limits for minors and ineligible for an exception.

The law says that teens who are injured on the job can seek benefits under the state's workers' compensation program. The initial version did not include those protections for juveniles hurt while working.

More: Iowa lawmakers pass bill letting teens work longer hours, jobs that were prohibited

Reynolds said she's a big proponent of registered apprenticeships and work-based learning programs that get kids interested in careers early.

"It builds relationships, it helps them find what they have a passion for and hopefully keeps them in our communities," she said on a May 12 episode of "Iowa Press" on Iowa PBS.

Can teens now serve alcohol at restaurants?

Under the law, restaurant employees as young as 16 may serve alcohol, with a parent's written permission.

Minor employees may serve alcohol only in a restaurant when food is being served and when there are two adult employees present in the area.

The law dictates that restaurants provide sexual harassment prevention training and report any alleged harassment incidents to the parents and the Iowa Civil Rights Commission.

Anyone who is a sexually violent predator or registered sex offender may not employ a child, under the law.

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How many more hours can teens work during the school year and over summer break?

Fourteen and 15-year-old employees may work up to six hours on a school day, two more than the current limit of four hours a day.

Employees under 16 will still be limited to 28 hours of work per week during the school year, the same as current law.

They may also work later into the evening — until 9 p.m. during the school year and until 11 p.m. between June 1 and Labor Day.

Sixteen- and 17-year-olds may work the same number of hours per day as adults.

What about driver's permits for teens so they can get to work?

The new law creates a committee to study the possibility of letting teens 14 and older get a special driver's permit to drive to work.

Students ages 14½ or older can already get a special permit to drive to school.

Reynolds said she thinks the study "is probably a good idea" so policymakers can think carefully about the driver's permit system for teenagers.

More: Kim Reynolds proposed a far-reaching agenda for Iowa. She got nearly everything she wanted

What does the US Labor Department say about Iowa's new child labor law?

Parts of the new Iowa law contradict federal labor laws, according to a letter from the U.S. Department of Labor.

The letter from Solicitor of Labor Seema Nanda said the longer working hours for 14- and 15-year-olds violate federal child labor regulations. Federal standards allow for employees under 16 to work only 3 hours on school days, for a maximum of 18 hours per week during the school year.

"(S)tates cannot nullify federal requirements by enacting less protective standards," the May 10 letter reads.

But Iowa isn't the only state to enact more permissive standards for teenage employees. A Department of Labor report shows that several states allow 14- and 15-year-olds to work more hours on school days.

"For years, nearly two dozen states, including Iowa’s current law, have youth employment laws out of sync with federal standards, and DOL has never made an issue of it," Sen. Adrian Dickey, R-Packwood, said in a statement. "Further, Democrats were in control of Iowa government multiple times during the existence of this conflict and they never changed the law."

Konfrst said on a May 19 episode of "Iowa Press" that passing the new law puts businesses in the difficult position of not knowing which law to comply with.

"At the end of the day, businesses are the ones who are caught here," she said. "They're the ones who are saying, 'Well, wait a minute, which do I follow? What is the law? Is it federal law? Is it state law?'"

Katie Akin is a politics reporter for the Register. Reach her at kakin@registermedia.com. Follow her on Twitter at @katie_akin.

Stephen Gruber-Miller covers the Iowa Statehouse and politics for the Register. He can be reached by email at sgrubermil@registermedia.com or by phone at 515-284-8169. Follow him on Twitter at @sgrubermiller.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Kim Reynolds OKs child labor law letting teens work longer, more jobs