Definition of Child Labor Laws
Child labor laws refer to laws that determine when and how a minor can be employed. In the United States, these laws are described in the Fair Labor Standards Act and are enforced by the Wage and Hour Division of the Department of Labor's Employment Standards Administration.
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Minimum Age
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The Fair Labor Standards Act requires that minors be at least 14 years old to become employed.
Exceptions to Age Requirements
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A minor who is 12 or 13 years old may be employed if he/she have consent from a parent or guardian. Also, minors 10 or 11 years old may be employed to hand-harvest for no more than eight weeks annually.
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Hours
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Minors who are 14 or 15 years old can work from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and for three hours on a school day, 18 hours during a school week, eight hours on a non-school day and 40 hours during a non-school week. From June 1 through Labor Day, 14 and 15 year olds can work until 9 p.m.. There are no work hour restrictions for minors over 16 years old.
Jobs
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Minors 14 or 15 years old can be employed in an office, grocery store, retail store, restaurant, movie theater, baseball park, amusement park, gasoline service station or on a farm. Minors 16 years and older can become employed in any field that is not considered hazardous by the secretary of labor.
Minors Under 14
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Minors aged 13 years and younger can be employed doing newspaper delivery, babysitting or working in a business owned and operated by a parent or guardian.
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