Teens will be out of school soon, but if you are employing teens while school is still in session it’s important to be sure your business is abiding by all child labor laws. According to the Fair Labor Standards Act, there are several guidelines that must be followed.
Typically, children under the age of 14 are not permitted to work, although there are a few exceptions. Children ages 14 and 15 are permitted to work during the school year, but not during school hours and not after 7 pm. 14 and 15 year old students are only able to work three hours per day on a school day, eight hours a day on a non-school day and no more than 18 hours per week. There are also restrictions regarding the industries students can work in and the type of work that can be performed. Surprisingly, according to federal law, work permits are not required.
Children that are 16 years of age or older may work for an unlimited number of hours as long as the job is not considered to be hazardous by the Secretary of Labor. Hazardous occupations include roofing, mining and some types of manufacturing.
States have additional child labor laws that must be followed as well. Information on Colorado Labor laws can be found on the Colorado Department of Labor website.