For most eligible businesses, hiring a minor can be a decision that benefits all involved. Often filled with boundless energy, minor workers can less expensive labor for the employer, while offering excellent learning opportunities, work experience, and much-needed income to the teen.

Before hiring, however, here are some important regulations regarding hiring a minor worker that all businesses should know to ensure they’re following the law and protecting the rights and safety of the minor.

Work Permits

Before working, all employers of teenagers under the age of 18 must first have a work permit issued by the minor’s school. To acquire this permit, both the employer and minor must fill out a form with their information, obtain a signature from the teen’s parents, and then the student must submit it to the school for approval. The school has complete authority to either issue a permit for maximum work hours, limit the working hours to a certain number, or deny approval altogether.

Teens who are self-employed, working privately with odd-jobs like babysitting or yardwork, or delivering newspapers need not apply for a permit.

Age and Work Restrictions

Based on the minor’s age, there are a few restrictions enforced by the Department of Industrial Relations regarding work hours and the type of work permitted:

  • Ages 12-13 are not allowed to work on a school day. Over summer break or on holidays, they can work up to 8 hours a day, 40 hours a week – though only from 7:00am to 7:00pm (9:00pm during summer). Minors under 14 are also usually restricted to only working odd-jobs around the neighborhood or delivering newspapers.
  • Ages 14-15 may work on a school day, but only after passing 7th They can work for 3 hours on a school day and 8 hours during the weekend, between the hours of 7:00am and 7:00pm (9:00pm in the summer), and up to 18 hours per week during school months. Throughout summer break, they can work up to 8 hours a day and 40 hours a week. Teens in this age group may work for a traditional business – including food service, retail, and office jobs – but are restricted from job fields deemed hazardous by federal regulation and jobs involving any machinery, mining, manufacturing, working on ladders, and more.
  • Ages 16-17 may work 4 hours during a school day, 8 hours on the weekend and throughout summer, and 48 hours a week regardless if school is in session or not. Teens over 16 have more flexibility in work times and can also work in most job fields not deemed hazardous by federal law – excepting jobs involving alcohol sales, gas stations, roofing, excavations, working with hazardous materials, and more.

For a comprehensive list of jobs minors cannot work at by age, click here. And if you’re ever in doubt whether to follow federal or state guidelines, always remember that with all labor laws, the one with the most protection for the worker is the law that applies!

(This post was based in part off this article by Lisa Guerin.)

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