Wage and Hour Division (WHD)

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CHICAGO --

The U.S. Department of Labor and the state of Michigan will visit employers in June to raise awareness of workplace protections for young workers as thousands of teenagers head toward summer jobs.

This initiative is part of the national YouthRules! public awareness campaign launched in May 2002 by U.S. Labor Secretary Elaine L. Chao to educate young workers, parents, educators and employers about the laws that affect workers under the age of 18.

Throughout Michigan, state and federal officials will visit employers beginning the week of June 6 to provide fact sheets on teen worker safety, charts outlining federal and state laws for employing youth, and other information about the hours young people can work and the jobs they can perform. Visits are scheduled for workplaces in Cheboygan, Norton Shores, Ypsilanti, Hamburg, Pinckney, Lakeland, Sparta, Kent City, Charlotte, Grand Haven, Dearborn Heights, Flint, Royal Oak, Bellaire, Central Lake, East Jordan, and Rochester Hills.

Most teens work in retail establishments, restaurants, supermarkets and stores. Others work on farms or in summer camps and amusement parks.

Under federal provisions, jobs that require operating paper balers, meat slicers, dough mixers and wood working machines, as well as most driving jobs, are designated as too dangerous for workers under 18.

Hours also are restricted for workers under 16. Fourteen- and 15-year-olds may work outside school hours, but not before 7 a.m. and not later then 7 p.m. (9 p.m. from June 1 until Labor Day). They may not work more than three hours on a school day or more than 18 hours in a school week. They are allowed to work up to eight hours on a non-school day and 40 hours in a non-school week.

For more information about YouthRules!, call the Department of Labor’s toll-free help line at 1-866-4-USWAGE (1-866-487-9243) or contact the local state labor department at (517) 322-1825. Information is also available on the Internet at www.youthrules.gov.

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U.S. Department of Labor releases are accessible on the Internet at www.dol.gov. The information in this news release will be made available in alternate format (large print, Braille, audio tape or disc) from the COAST office upon request. Please specify which news release when placing your request at (202) 693-7828 or TTY (202) 693-7755. The Labor Department is committed to providing America’s employers and employees with easy access to understandable information on how to comply with its laws and regulations. For more information, please visit www.dol.gov/compliance.