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Content Last Revised: 6/29/76
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CFR  

Code of Federal Regulations Pertaining to U.S. Department of Labor

Title 29  

Labor

 

Chapter V  

Wage and Hour Division, Department of Labor

 

 

Part 570  

Child Labor Regulations, Orders and Statements of Interpretation

 

 

 

Subpart A  

General


29 CFR 570.2 - Minimum age standards.

  • Section Number: 570.2
  • Section Name: Minimum age standards.

    (a) All occupations except in agriculture. (1) The Act, in section 
3(1), sets a general 16-year minimum age which applies to all employment 
subject to its child labor provisions in any occupation other than in 
agriculture, with the following exceptions:
    (i) The Act authorizes the Secretary of Labor to provide by 
regulation or by order that the employment of employees between the ages 
of 14 and 16 years in occupations other than manufacturing and mining 
shall not be deemed to constitute oppressive child labor, if and to the 
extent that the Secretary of Labor determines that such employment is 
confined to periods which will not interfere with their schooling and to 
conditions which will not interfere with their health and well-being 
(see subpart C of this part); and
    (ii) The Act sets an 18-year minimum age with respect to employment 
in any occupation found and declared by the Secretary of Labor to be 
particularly hazardous for the employment of minors of such age or 
detrimental to their health or well-being (see subpart E of this part).
    (2) The Act exempts from its minimum age requirements the employment 
by a parent of his own child, or by a person standing in place of a 
parent of a child in his custody, except in occupations to which the 18-
year age minimum applies and in manufacturing and mining occupations.

(b) Occupations in agriculture. The Act sets a 16-year age minimum 
for employment in agriculture during school hours for the school 
district in which the employed minor is living at the time, and also for 
employment in any occupation in agriculture that the Secretary of Labor 
finds and declares to be particularly hazardous except where such 
employee is employed by his parent or by a person standing in the place 
of his parent on a farm owned or operated by such parent or person (see 
Subpart E-1 of this part). There is a minimum age requirement of 14 
years generally for employment in agriculture outside school hours for 
the school district where such employee is living while so employed. 
However, (1) a minor 12 or 13 years of age may be so employed with 
written consent of his parent or person standing in place of his parent, 
or may work on a farm where such parent or person is also employed, and 
(2) a minor under 12 years of age may be employed by his parent or by a 
person standing in place of his parent on a farm owned or operated by 
such parent or person, or may be employed with consent of such parent or 
person on a farm where all employees are exempt from the minimum wage 
provisions by virtue of section 13(a) (6) (A) of the Act.
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