Brush Up on FLSA Rules Before Adding Teens to Payroll
Posted on Fri, May 06, 2011
Before you add a teenager to your payroll for summer or after-school work, do your homework first. As part of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), the U.S. Dept. of Labor has established rules restricting the hours and type of work youth can perform, depending on their age. Note that the FLSA minimum age requirements do not apply to minors employed by their parents, with the exception of hazardous occupations prohibited for all children under 18. Other types of exempted work include agriculture, newspaper delivery, and school-administered work programs, as well as other jobs. For more details, read the DOL document detailing the exemptions. Here’s an overview of the FLSA work rules by age group. Ages 14-15: 14 is the minimum age allowed by law for non-agricultural work. A child between the ages of 14-15 can work:
- 3 hours on a school day, including Fridays,
- 18 hours in a school week,
- 8 hours on a non-school day,
- 40 hours in a non-school week, and
- Between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. Children between 14-15 can work until 9 p.m. between June 1 and Labor Day.
Before you add anyone under 16 to your payroll, make sure the type of work isn’t prohibited. In addition to jobs considered too hazardous for anyone under 18, there is a list of jobs prohibited for 14- and 15-year-olds but permitted for older youth. Here are a few: construction or repair jobs, manufacturing or warehouse work, baking, and door-to-door sales. For the complete list, read the Prohibited Occupations for Non-Agricultural Employees. Ages 16 and older:
- There are no restrictions on work hours for youth 16 and older.
- Youth 16 and older may perform any non-hazardous job.
Workers 18 and older are free from restrictions on hours worked and can perform any type of work, including hazardous jobs.
Photo Credit: Carol Dias