Without child labor laws, like the FLSA, youth workers may not be protected from working long hours or from exposure to the hazards of working at dangerous jobs. Child labor laws include both state and federal laws.  

Federal child labor rules are established by the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). The FLSA child labor provisions are designed to protect the educational opportunities of youth and prohibit their employment in jobs and under conditions detrimental to their health or safety. Once a teen reaches age 18, federal child labor rules no longer apply.

• More information about Hazardous Occupation orders can be found:

• Child Labor Requirements in Non-Agricultural Occupations Under the Fair Labor Standards Act. Child Labor Bulletin 101. (2001, March).
• Child labor regulations.
  

• Remember child labor laws prohibit teens under the age of 18 from operating hazardous equipment such as:
  • Power-driven meat slicers and meat grinders. This prohibition remains in effect regardless of the materials being processed. For example, slicing vegetables or cheese, with power-driven meat slicers is not allowed.
  • Forklifts.
  • Paper balers and cardboard compactors.
  • Power-driven bakery equipment, such as horizontal or vertical dough mixers, batter mixers, and dough sheeters.
  • Power-driven woodworking equipment, including chain saws and circular saws.
  • Freight elevators. 
  • Other machines specifically prohibited by the youth employment hazardous occupations orders.
    
    
• Child labor laws and the driving of motor vehicles:
  
  
  • Sixteen-year-olds may not perform any on-the-job driving on public roads.
    
    
  • Seventeen-year-olds may perform limited on-the-job driving, but only after certain requirements have been met. In no event, may such youth be employed as delivery drivers, even on a sporadic basis. This prohibition in no way restricts youths from driving their personal vehicles during non-work hours. For more information see:
    • Important Changes in the Child Labor Laws Affecting the Driving of Automobiles and Trucks Under Hazardous Occupations Fact Sheet #34.
      
      

• **Child labor law and balers and compactors: 
  
  • Child labor law changes in 1996 allow 16- and 17-year-olds to load certain balers and compactors but not operate or unload. For more information see:
    
    
    • Important Change in the Child Labor Laws Affecting Hazardous Occupations Order No. 12.

• The DOL encourages employers to label equipment young workers are not allowed to operate. The YouthRules! website has available downloadable stickers for employers to place on hazardous equipment to alert all workers that no one under age 18 may operate the equipment.

• The jobs a 14- or 15-year-old may do in the retail and service industries include:
  • Seating and greeting guests.
  • Taking food orders and "bussing" tables.
  • Cooking at soda fountains, lunch counters, snack bars, or cafeteria serving counters which are in plain view of the customer.
  • Assembling and bagging orders at quick-service establishments.
  • Kitchen work and other work involved in preparing and serving food and drinks, including the operation of machines and devices used in the performance of such work such as dishwashers, toasters, dumbwaiters, popcorn poppers, milk shake blenders, and coffee grinders, but not cooking or baking.
  • Cleaning fruits and vegetables.
  • Wrapping, weighing, pricing, stocking any goods as long as the young worker does not work where meat is being prepared and does not work in freezers or meat coolers.
  • Pricing and tagging goods, assembling orders, packing, or shelving.
  • Clean-up work and grounds maintenance. The young worker may use vacuums and floor waxers, but cannot use power-driven mowers, cutter, and trimmers.
  • Errand and delivery work by foot, bicycle, and public transportation.
  • Office and clerical work.
     
• A 14- or 15-year-old may not work in the manufacturing or mining industries, or in any hazardous job and may not perform jobs in the food service industry such as:
  • Baking.
  • Cooking (except at soda fountains, lunch counters, snack bars, or cafeteria serving counters).
  • Working in freezers or meat coolers.
  • Operating, setting up, adjusting, cleaning, oiling, or repairing power-driven food slicers, grinders, choppers or cutters, and bakery mixers.
  • May not operate Neico broilers, pressurized fryers, rotisseries, lawn mowers and "weed whackers."
  • Loading or unloading goods on or off trucks, railcars or conveyors.
  • Outside window washing that involves working form window sills and all work that requires the use of ladders or their substitutes.
  • Work in connection with maintenance or repair of the establishment, machines, or equipment. 
    

• Fact Sheet #2 - Restaurants and Fast Food Establishments Under the Fair Labor Standards Act.
• Fact Sheet #2a - Employing Youth in Restaurants under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).
• Fact Sheet #41- Fast Food Service Restaurant, and Supermarket Industries Child labor Compliance Survey.
• Fact Sheet #43 - Child Labor Provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) For Nonagricultural Occupations.
• Fact Sheet #32 - Youth Minimum Wage - Fair Labor Standards Act.
• Prohibited Occupations for Non-Agricultural Employees (from E-laws).
• YouthRules! Employer Pocket Guides.