Teen or Minor Worker: Hours, Jobs and Pay Under Federal Child Labor Rules

Age Rules for Non-Farm Jobs

The Department of Labor guidance on child labor provisions of the FLSA and the YouthRules! site explain the basic age tiers. Farm work follows different standards.

• Under 14

  Children generally may not hold non-farm jobs covered by the FLSA. Work that is exempt, such as delivering newspapers or acting, and casual babysitting or minor chores at a private home, are outside those limits.

• 14 and 15

  These workers may take a range of non-manufacturing, non-hazardous jobs outside school hours, with limits on hours and times of day.

• 16 and 17

  Federal law does not limit their hours, but they may not work in occupations declared hazardous.

• 18 and older

  The federal youth employment rules no longer apply.

Hour Limits for 14- and 15-Year-Olds

Under the federal rules, workers aged 14 and 15 may work only outside school hours. That generally means no more than 3 hours on a school day, 18 hours in a school week, 8 hours on a non-school day and 40 hours in a non-school week, and only between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. From June 1 through Labor Day the evening limit moves to 9 p.m. A manager who asks a 15-year-old to close the restaurant at 10 p.m. on a school night is likely outside those limits.

Jobs Banned for Anyone Under 18

The Hazardous Occupations Orders ban minors from jobs the Secretary of Labor has found especially dangerous. The Department of Labor lists 17 of them, including most work with power-driven meat slicers, bakery machines such as dough mixers and rollers, balers and compactors, and power-driven hoisting equipment such as forklifts. Driving on public roads is also tightly limited. Employers sometimes assign these tasks to a teen because "everyone helps out" at a busy shift, which does not make the task legal.

Pay and Other Rights Still Apply

A minor who works is generally covered by the same minimum wage and overtime rules as other employees, including pay for off-the-clock work and time worked through a skipped break. Our overview of your rights under the Fair Labor Standards Act covers the basics. Some states also allow a lower pay rate in narrow cases, so check your state rules.

What Federal Rules Do Not Cover

The federal youth rules do not require work permits, which many states do, and they do not by themselves address harassment, discrimination or breaks. Other laws do. A teen who is harassed at work may be protected by Title VII, as described in the EEOC page on harassment and our guide to a hostile work environment. A teen who is hurt or asked to do a dangerous task should also read our post on refusing unsafe work.

Steps to Take Now

Write down dates, hours, tasks, and who gave the instructions, and keep schedules, texts and pay stubs. Check your state rules on the Department of Labor state child labor page, because the stricter standard applies. To report a violation, you can contact the Wage and Hour Division using the complaint information page. Employers may not retaliate against a worker for raising a concern. In an emergency or after an injury, get medical care first.

Free Case Review

Whether a schedule or task broke the rules depends on the worker's age, the job, the season and the state. If a young worker was underpaid, put in danger or punished for speaking up, our team can review the situation at no cost, if you are eligible.