Labor laws are different for prisoners. Prisoners can be made to work up to 12 hours a day, 6 days a week up to 72 hours per week. The complete rule on this is below.
33-601.201 prisoner Work Program.
(1) For the purposes of this rule, an “assignment” means the work or program that a prisoner has been assigned to by department staff. Each prisoner assigned shall be required to perform in a satisfactory and acceptable manner. It is the continuous goal of the department that prisoners in work assignments work at least 40 hours per week. Until this goal is achieved, the department shall maximize the utilization of prisoner labor within existing resources.
(2) prisoners may be assigned to perform work for political subdivisions in the state including municipalities and agencies and institutions of the State, or nonprofit corporations that enter into agreements or contracts with the Department pursuant to Department of Corrections Rule 33-601.202, F.A.C. prisoners may also be required to perform work for the corporation authorized to operate correctional work programs under Part II of Chapter 946, F.S.
(3) All prisoners shall submit to assignment schedules of the institution, and shall carry out such instructions as shall be given by department staff and non-department staff authorized to supervise prisoners.
(4) Except in the case of emergency, prisoners shall not be required to perform assignments more than twelve (12) hours per day. The total number of hours prisoners may be worked per week shall not exceed seventy-two (72) hours per week, including travel time between their place of confinement and place of work. prisoners ordinarily shall not be required to work on Sunday, except in those assignments necessary for institutional or other agency operation or emergency situations. When practical, prisoners should be given one day off from their work assignments per week. Additionally, when practical, prisoners shall be given a fifteen (15) minute rest period during each four hour assignment period and at least one-half (1/2) hour for their meal period.
(5) No prisoner working outside of an institution shall have any conversation or other contact with any person other than an prisoner or employee without the consent of the warden, Officer-in-Charge, or his designated representative, except that the prisoner may make a brief and polite response when conversation is initiated by such other person. Waving to or calling out at passing persons or automobiles is prohibited.
(6) When performing an assignment, no prisoner shall depart the institutional grounds or the place where he is assigned except with the specific authorization of the warden, Officer-in-Charge, or his designated representative.
(7) A Department of Corrections representative at private facilities shall review and either approve, disapprove or modify all prisoner job and program assignments.
(8) When reviewing prisoner job and program assignments department staff shall consider factors including the type of work assignment and level of skill required, the prisoner’s disciplinary history, the prisoner’s arrest and conviction history, and the needs of the institution.
Rulemaking Authority 20.315, 944.09 FS. Law Implemented 944.09, 944.10(7), 946.002, 946.40(1), 946.511(1)(b) FS. History–New 10-8-76, Amended 4-19-79, Formerly 33-3.03, Amended 2-26-86, 1-28-98, Formerly 33-3.003, Amended 11-8-00, 8-18-13.