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Table of State Child Labor Laws for Agricultural
Employment
State1 |
Minimum age for employment |
Certificate required to age: |
Maximum daily and weekly hours and days per week for minors under 16
unless other age indicated |
during school hours |
outside school hours |
Employment certificate |
Age certificate |
Daily/Weekly |
Days per week |
Federal: Fair Labor Standards Act (FSLA) applies to migrants
and local residents regardless of farm size or number of man-days of farm labor
used on that farm. |
16 |
14, 12 with written parental consent or on farm where parent is
employed. Under 12 with written parental consent on farms exempt from Federal
minimum wage provisions * |
proof of age not required |
--- |
--- |
Alaska |
16 |
14 |
--- |
18 |
schoolday or week: 9 for work and school combined /23 |
6 under 18 |
Arizona |
16 |
14 |
proof of age not required |
8/40 non school period. schoolday or week: 3/18 |
--- |
Arkansas |
16 |
14 |
16 |
--- |
8/48 10/54; 16 and 17 |
6 under 18 |
California |
18,
16 if not required to attend school |
12 |
18 |
--- |
8/40, only on non-schoolday, 12 and 13 8/40 schoolday/week: 3/18 8/48,
16 and 17 4 schoolday, (8 on a schoolday that precedes a non schoolday) 16 and
17 if required to attend school 2 |
6 |
Colorado |
16 |
12 |
--- |
18 on request |
8/40, under 18. 6 on schoolday under 16. In seasonal employment
involving perishable products where paid by piece- work, minors 14 or older may
work up to 12 hours in a 24-hour period and up to 30 hours in a 72-hour period
(not more than 8 hours a day for more than 10 days in any 30-day period).
|
--- |
Connecticut (separate agriculture child labor law) |
16
|
14
|
proof of age or agriculture
permit required to age 16.
|
8/48
|
6 |
Delaware (farm work exempt unless performed in hazardous
occupations) |
--- |
--- |
--- |
--- |
--- |
--- |
Florida |
--- |
14 |
--- |
18 (proof of age) |
8/40 schoolday or week: 3 when followed by schoolday /15. 8/30 when
school is in session, 16 and 17.
Minors under 16 can work 8-40 during non-school day or week. |
6 |
Hawaii |
18, 16 if not legally required to attend school |
14, 15 in pineapple harvesting
10 in coffee harvesting |
16 |
18 applies only to 16 and 17 |
6/30 no more than 5 consecutive days, under 14 in coffee harvest in
non-school period. 8/40; schoolday or week: 3/18, 14 and 15. 8/48
in pineapple harvesting from June 1 through the day before Labor
Day. |
6 |
Idaho |
16 |
--- |
proof of age not required |
9-54 |
--- |
Illinois (minimum age only) |
12 |
10 |
--- |
--- |
--- |
--- |
Indiana (Exempt except for minimum age or when school is in
session) |
--- |
12 |
--- |
--- |
--- |
--- |
Iowa (law exempts part-time work in agriculture (less than 20
hours a week when school is not in session and less than 14 hours a week while
school is in session) It covers all migratory labor.
Law exempts work in the production of seed, limited to removal of
off-type plants, corn tassels and hand-pollinating during June, July and August
for children 14 and over. |
16 |
14, 12 migratory labor (younger with permit from Labor Commissioner
upon court order) |
16 |
--- |
8/40 Schoolday or week: 4/28 |
--- |
Maine (exempt if not in direct contact with hazardous machinery
or substances) |
16 unless excused by superintendant of schools |
--- except 14 if in direct contact with hazardous machinery or
substances |
Exempt unless in direct contact with hazardous machinery or
substances |
--- |
Exempt |
Exempt |
Massachusetts |
16 |
--- |
16 |
--- |
Schoolday or week: 4/24, under 14 8/48 |
6 |
Michigan (exempt except for operations involving detasseling,
roguing, hoeing, or similar in production of seed) |
16 |
13 |
Exempt |
--- |
10/48 in non-school/week, (11/62 during a school vacation with
parental consent) 16 and 17 48 combined hours of work and school in schoolweek,
under 18 |
6 under 18 |
Minnesota |
16 |
12 |
16 for work during school hours |
18 |
Exempt |
--- |
Missouri |
16 |
14 |
16 during school term |
18 on request |
8/40 schoolday: 3 |
6 |
Nevada (exempt except for minimum age when school in
session) |
14 |
--- |
--- |
--- |
--- |
--- |
New Hampshire |
18, 16 if not enrolled in school |
12 |
exempt |
--- |
8 on non-schoolday/48 during vacation. Schoolday/week: 3/23 if
enrolled in school. 30 in schoolweek/48 during vacation, 16 and 17 if enrolled
in school. |
6
16 and 17 if enrolled in school |
New Jersey |
16 |
12 |
16 |
--- |
10 a day |
6 |
New Mexico |
16, 14 hardship cases |
--- |
16 |
18 on request |
8/44 (special cases (8/48) under 14, |
--- |
New York |
16 |
14, 12 hand harvest berries, fruits and vegetables |
16 |
--- |
4 a day, 12 and 13 |
--- |
North Dakota |
14
|
---
|
---
|
---
|
Exempt
|
Exempt
|
Ohio |
16 |
14 |
18 if residing in agriculture labor camp |
--- |
8/40 schoolday/week: 3/18 |
--- |
Oregon |
16 |
12, 9 picking berries or beans for intrastate use with parental
permission |
Required only for under 18 employed in connection with power-driven
farm machinery |
--- |
10/40 (more than 10 hours a day with special permit) schoolday/week:
3/18 |
6 |
Pennsylvania (exempt from child labor law. Separate law covers
seasonal farm workers). |
--- |
--- seasonal farm worker under 14 not to be required to work |
--- |
--- |
Employment prohibited from 7 a.m. to 1 hour after end of schoolday of
school district where employed, under 18 whether or not registered in such
school district. |
--- |
South Carolina |
16 |
14, 12 with parental approval |
proof of age not required |
Exempt |
--- |
South Dakota |
--- |
--- |
--- |
--- |
8/40 schoolday/week: 4/20 |
--- |
Utah |
16 |
12, no limit with parental consent |
--- |
18 on request |
8/40, schoolday: 4 (waived with parental consent) |
--- |
Vermont |
16, 14 with cert. |
--- |
16 during school hours |
--- |
Exempt |
Exempt |
Virginia |
16 |
14, 12 with parental consent |
Exempt |
16 on request |
--- |
--- |
Washington |
18 |
14, 12 hand-harvesting or cult. berries, bulbs, cucumbers and spinach
during non-school week. |
18 |
--- |
8/40, 12 and 13 during non-schoolweek. 8/40 when school not in
session, 14 and 15. 10/50 (60 for wheat, hay and pea harvest) when school not
in session; 4/28 when school in session, 16 and 17. |
6
7 in dairy, livestock, hay and irrigation, with one day off every two
weeks, under 18 |
Wisconsin |
18 |
12 |
Exempt |
Exempt |
8/40 schoolday/week: 4 (8 before non-schoolday) /18 (24 school in
session lass than 5 days) under 16. 5 (8 before non-schoolday) /26 (32 school
in session less than 5 days) 16 and 17. Minors 14 through 17 may be employed
outside of school hours in excess of permitted weeky hours during peak periods.
Time and one-half regular rate of pay must be paid after 50 hours per week.
|
6
12 and 13 |
*Local minors (permanent residents) 10 and
11 years old may be employed outside school hours under prescribed conditions
to hand harvest short season crops for no more than 8 weeks between June 1 and
October 15 in any calendar year, upon approval by the Secretary of Labor of an
employer's application for a waiver from the child labor provisions for such
employment. The Secretary of Labor has not issued such waivers.
back to the top
State1 |
Nightwork prohibited for minors under 16 unless other age
indicated |
Prohibited hazardous occupations (HOs) in agriculture to
age: |
Federal: Fair Labor Standards Act (FSLA) applies to migrants
and local residents regardless of farm size or number of man-days of farm labor
used on that farm. |
--- |
16. Numerous occupations have been declared hazardous in 11
categories of employment including, among others, operating tractors of over 20
PTO horsepower; operating or assisting to operate corn pickers, grain combines,
hay movers, potato diggers, trenchers or earthmoving equipment, or power-driven
circular, hand or chain saws; working in a yard, pen or stall occupied by a
stud animal or a sow with suckling pigs; working inside a silo or manure pit;
handling or applying certain agricultural chemicals; and handling or using a
blasting agent such as dynamite or black powder. |
Alaska |
9 p.m. to 5 a.m |
No specific agriculture HOs. Those of general application under 18
are considered as covering agriculture where applicable (e.g. working with
power-driven machinery). |
Arizona |
9:30 p.m. (11 p.m. before non-schoolday) to 6 a.m. |
16 (similar to Federal HOs) |
Arkansas |
7 p.m. (9 p.m. before non-schoolday) to 6 a.m 11 p.m. before
schoolday to 6 a.m., 16 and 17 |
No specific agriculture HOs. Those of general application for under
16 are considered as covering agriculture where applicable (e.g. working with
unguarded belts and adjustible belts) |
California |
7 p.m. (9 p.m. June 1 through Labor Day) to 7 a.m. 10 p.m. (12:30
a.m. before non-schoolday) to 5:30 a.m., 16 and 17 |
16, adopts Federal HOs 12 work prohibited in any agriculture danger
zone (areas in or about moving equipment, unprotected chemicals, and
unprotected water hazard). |
Colorado |
9:30 p.m. to 5 a.m. before schoolday |
No specific agric. HOs. Those of general application for under 18
are considered as covering agric. where applicable (e.g. work 20 feet above
ground, operation of power-driven machinery). |
Connecticut (separate agriculture child labor law) |
--- |
No specific agric. HOs. Those of generalapplication for under 18 are
considered as covering agric. where applicable (e.g. work on ladders, operation
of power-driven machinery). |
Delaware (farm work exempt unless performed in hazardous
occupations) |
--- |
16 (adopts, by reference, the Federal HOs). Law exempts those
working with adult supervision. |
Florida |
7 p.m. before schoolday (9 p.m. during holidays and summer
vacations) to 7 a.m. 11 p.m. to 6:30 a.m. before schoolday, 16 and 17. |
18, operating or assisting to operate a tractor over 20 PTO
horsepower, any trencher or earthmoving equipment, forklift, or any harvesting,
planting, or plowing machinery, or any moving machinery. 16, operation of
power-driven machinery. |
Hawaii |
6 p.m. to 6 a.m. during coffee harvest, under 14. 7 p.m. to 7 a.m.
(9 p.m. to 6 a.m. during any authorized school break) 14 and 15,
12:30 a.m. to 6 a.m., 15 in pineapple harvest. |
16 (several), 15 pineapple harvestors prohibited from being on the
harvesting machine or the truck attached to it, 12 prohibited from using any
harvesting equipment while engaged in coffee harvesting except holding hooks
which are free of any attachments or accessories and baskets or containers used
to carry coffee berries. They are not allowed to carry loads in excess of 15
pounds. |
Idaho |
9 p.m. to 6 a.m. |
---
|
Illinois (minimum age only) |
--- |
---
|
Indiana (Exempt except for minimum age or when school is in
session) |
--- |
---
|
Iowa (law exempts part-time work in agriculture (less than 20
hours a week when school is not in session and less than 14 hours a week while
school is in session) It covers all migratory labor) |
7:30 p.m. (9 p.m. June 1 through Labor Day) to 5 a.m. with migratory
labor permit |
No specific agric. HOs. Those of general application for under 18
and under 16 are considered as covering migrant labor where applicable (e.g.
power-driven hoisting apparatus - under 18, power-driven machinery - under 16).
|
Maine (exempt if not in direct contact with hazardous
machinery or substances) |
Exempt |
- (hazardous machinery or substances mentioned in exemption refers
to occupations prohibited under Federal law) |
Massachusetts |
7 p.m. (9 p.m. July 1 through Labor Day) to 6:30 a.m. |
16 operation of saw or cutter on a farm except family farm;
stripping, sorting, manufacturing or packing tobacco. |
Michigan (exempt except for operations involving detasseling,
roguing, hoeing, or similar in production of seed) |
9 p.m. to 7 a.m., 10:30 p.m. (11:30 p.m. on Fridays, Saturdays and
during school vacation periods) to 6 a.m., 16 and 17 if attending school, 11:30
p.m. to 6 a.m., 16 and 17 if not attending school |
No specific agriculture HOs. Those of general application under 18
are considered as covering agriculture where applicable (e.g. working with
power-driven machinery). |
Minnesota |
9 p.m. to 7 a.m |
18 (a few) 16 (several including, by reference, the Federal
HOs) |
Missouri |
7 p.m. (9 p.m. June 1 through Labor Day) to 7 a.m. |
No specific agriculture HOs. Those of general application under 16
are considered as covering agriculture where applicable (e.g. working with
power-driven machinery, ladders, toxic or hazardous chemicals). |
Nevada (exempt except for minimum age when school in
session) |
--- |
---
|
New Hampshire |
9 p.m. to 7 a.m. |
16 (adopts, by reference, the Federal HOs) |
New Jersey |
--- |
18 (a few) 16 (a few) |
New Mexico |
9 p.m. to 7 a.m., under 14 |
No specific agriculture HOs. Those of general application under 16
are considered as covering agriculture where applicable (e.g. belted, moving,
machinery). |
New York |
4 p.m. to 9 a.m. day after Labor Day through June 20. 7 p.m. to 7
a.m. June 21 to Labor Day, 12 and 13. |
16, adopts Federal HOs |
North Dakota |
Exempt |
-(Law specifies that minors under 16 are not to be prohibited from
doing ordinary farm work or from operating farm machinery.) |
Ohio |
7 p.m. (9 p.m. June 1 - Sept. 1 and during 5 or more schoolday
holiday periods) to 7 a.m. 11 p.m. before schoolday to 7 a.m. on schoolday (6
a.m. if not employed after 8 p.m. pervious night), 16 and 17 if required to
attend school. |
16 (same as Federal HOs) |
Oregon |
Exempt |
18 (16 with Certificate of Training) operating power-driven farm
machinery of any kind; riding in or on power-driven farm machinery for the
purpose of transporting, sorting, delivering, or otherwise processing farm
products. State adopts Federal HOs. |
Pennsylvania (exempt from child labor law. Separate law
covers seasonal farm workers). |
--- |
--- |
South Carolina |
Exempt |
16 (same as Federal HOs) |
South Dakota |
After 10 p.m. before schoolday |
---
|
Utah |
9:30 p.m. to 5 a.m. before schoolday (waived with parental
consent) |
With parental consent, no age limit for agriculture work, including
operation of power-driven farm machinery. Otherwise, HOs of general application
for under 18 are considered as covering agriculture where applicable (e.g.
power-driven hoisting apparatus). |
Vermont |
Exempt |
No specific agriculture HOs. Those of general application under 16
are considered as covering agriculture where applicable (e.g. operating a
machine having an unguarded belt, adjusting belt- driven equipment, and
cleaning machinery). |
Virginia |
--- |
18 (several) 16 (a few) (Generally the same as Federal HOs) Children
16 may operate, assist in operating, or otherwise perform work involving a
truck, excluding a tractor trailer, or farm vehicle. Children 14 may perform
work as a helper on a truck or commercial vehicle, while engaged in such work
exclusively on a farm. |
Washington |
9 p.m. to 5 a.m., 12 and 13 when school not in session. 6 p.m. to 7
a.m. (6 a.m. in dairy, livestock and irrigation) 14 and 15 on school day. 9
p.m. to 5 a.m., 14 and 15 on non-school day. 10 p.m. (9 p.m. on consecutive
school nights preceding a school day) to 5 a.m., 16 and 17. |
18 (some) 16 (same as Federal HOs) |
Wisconsin |
8 p.m. (9:30 p.m. before non-schoolday) to 5 a.m. 12 and 13. 8 p.m.
(11 p.m. before non-schoolday) to 5 a.m. while school is in session, 8 hours of
rest are required before the start of work the next day. |
16 (same as Federal HOs) |
--- No provision
1 Agricultural employment is exempted from or
is not listed among the covered sectors in the child labor laws of 17 states:
Alabama, Delaware (non-hazardous employment), Georgia, Kansas, Kentucky,
Louisiana, Maryland (non-hazardous employment), Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska
(covers only work in detasseling and beet fields), North Carolina, Oklahoma,
Rhode Island, Tennessee, Texas, West Virginia (non-hazardous employment) and
Wyoming. Laws generally exclude minors employed by parents on family farms.
2 California. Until January 1, 2005, 16- and
17-year olds in Lake County who were employed in agricultural packing plants
were permitted to
work more than 48 hours, but no more than 60, in any 1 week with written
approval of the Lake County Board of Education.
Prepared By:
Office of Performance, Budget, and Departmental Liaison
Wage and Hour Division
Employment Standards Administration
U.S. Department of Labor
This document was last revised in February 2009.
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