Child labor rules limit how many hours a youth can work, when a youth can work, and in which jobs they can work. The rules vary based on age. States also have different rules and regulations. Click here to learn about rules that are specific to your state.
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Hour restrictions
According to the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), youth must be 14 years old or older to hold a non-agricultural position.
Under a special provision, youth 14 and 15 years old who are enrolled in an approved Work Experience and Career Exploration Program may be employed for up to 23 hours during school weeks and 3 hours on school days (including during school hours).
Job restrictions
Child Labor Rules restrict the jobs that youth may perform based on the age of the youth and the type of employment. A youth 18 years or older may perform any job, whether hazardous or not. A youth 16 or 17 years old may perform any job not identified as hazardous by the Secretary of Labor. A youth 14 or 15 years old may not work in the following occupations:
The jobs 14- and 15-year-old workers may legally perform are limited to the following:
Hour restrictions
There are different restrictions for agricultural jobs compared to non-agricultural jobs. The hour restrictions are the same for all youth, including migrant youth.
While unpaid internships can provide opportunities for youth to explore new careers and gain on-the-job experience, the Supreme Court has ruled on the understanding of circumstances under which individuals who participate in “for-profit” private sector internships or training programs may do so without compensation. The determination of whether an internship or training program meets this exclusion depends upon all of the facts and circumstances of each such program.
The following six criteria must be applied when making this determination:
If all of the factors listed above are met, an employment relationship does not exist under the FLSA, and the FLSA’s minimum wage and overtime provisions do not apply to the intern. This exclusion from the definition of employment is necessarily quite narrow because the FLSA’s definition of “employ” is very broad.
Note: Information in this section adapted from the U.S. Department of Labor’s Youth Rules! and elaws-FLSA Child Labor Rules Advisor.
U.S. Department of Labor. (n.d.). Child labor. http://www.dol.gov/whd/childlabor.htm
U.S. Department of Labor. (n.d.). elaws-FLSA child labor rules advisor. Retrieved from http://www.dol.gov/elaws/esa/flsa/cl/screen2.asp
Youth Rules! (n.d.). State laws. Retrieved from http://youthrules.dol.gov/law-library/state-laws/index.htm
Youth Rules! Youth Rules! is a youth-friendly resource that helps to clarify rules and regulations for youth workers. Information is targeted at teens, parents, teachers, and employers. The site provides information on the hours and jobs youth at different ages can work.
Compliance Assistance - Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)
The Wage and Hours Divisions of the Department of Labor provides information to help clarify the rules and restrictions for youth employment under the Fair Labor Standards Act.
elaws-FLSA Child Labor Rules Advisor
elaws-FLSA Child Labor Rules Advisor provides a comprehensive site to help you learn more about the minimum wage, overtime pay, child labor, and recordkeeping laws enforced by the Wage and Hour Division of the Department of Labor (DOL). Users can select information targeted at youth, parents, employers, and teachers on a variety of topics including the hour restrictions, prohibited occupations, enforcement, wages of youth, and exemptions that are laid out in the Fair Labor Standards Act.
Work Experience and Career Exploration Programs (WECEP)
WECEP offers exceptions to the child labor regulations that permit 14- and 15-year-olds to be employed in otherwise prohibited circumstances. WECEP is designed to provide a carefully planned work experience and career exploration program for students who can benefit from a career-oriented education. WECEP, among other things, is aimed at helping youths who are at risk for leaving school to become motivated to continue their education and to prepare them for the world of work.
Regulations for Unpaid Internships
This fact sheet, developed by the Department of Labor, provides general information to help determine whether interns must be paid the minimum wage and overtime under the Fair Labor Standards Act for the services that they provide to “for-profit” private sector employers.
Youth@Work
This Equal Employment Opportunity Commission website has information for youth about their rights and responsibilities as workers. The site focuses on providing information on different types of employment discrimination and how they can be prevented in the workplace.
1Under the FLSA, "small" farms are exempt from the minimum wage requirements. "Small" farm means any farm that did not use more than 500 "man-days" of agricultural labor in any calendar quarter (3-month period) during the preceding calendar year. "Man-day" means any day during which an employee works at least one hour. If the farm is "small," workers under 12 years of age can be employed in non-hazardous jobs, but only during hours when school is not in session, and only with a parent's permission.
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