Are you planning to hire summer help interns or younger workers for your business? Before you do, there are important labor laws and compliance rules you need to understand.
In this Quick Tip episode of Biz Help For You, I explain what you need to know before hiring younger workers, including work permits, hour restrictions, minimum wage requirements, safety training, and the legal risks of unpaid internships.
Many employers assume temporary or younger workers come with fewer rules, but failing to follow labor laws can lead to penalties, back pay claims, and compliance issues that become very expensive. And this is where businesses get into trouble. It’s very easy to schedule a minor like you would any other employee, especially when things get busy. But if they’re working too late, starting too early, or exceeding daily or weekly limits, even unintentionally, you’re out of compliance.
When it comes to hiring minors, be sure to check the regulations in the state where your employee will be working.
Here’s the mistake I see when it comes to summer employment. People assume that the hires are low risk, they’re younger, they’re temporary, they’re just helping out. But legally, they’re still employees, which means you don’t get to cut corners.
Before you hire anyone, ask, What role am I filling? Is this truly temporary, or is it just underplanned? Am I setting things up correctly from the start? Because summer help should make your business easier to run, not create a compliance issue you’re dealing with in the fall.
If you hire seasonal employees, student workers, or interns, this episode will help you protect your business while building a stronger team.
Table of contents
Key Notes:
• Important labor law rules for hiring minors
• What makes an internship legally compliant
• Common mistakes that create payroll and HR risks
