Hiring Youth

Every year, millions of teens work in part-time or summer jobs that provide great opportunities for learning important life skills and acquiring hands-on experience. Last summer, the youth labor force grew by 3.1 million to a total of 24.4 million in July. The labor force participation rate for youth --the proportion of their population working or looking for work--was 65.1 percent in July 2008.

There are many opportunities for businesses to employ and help prepare young workers to be competitive in the 21st Century workplace. However, there are a few limitations employers must be aware of such as work hours and job types. Federal and State rules regarding young workers strike a balance between ensuring sufficient time for educational opportunities and allowing appropriate work experiences, such as job shadowing, technical preparation, and more .

What Hours Can Youth Work?

• Youth 18 years or older may perform any job, whether hazardous or not, for unlimited hours.
• Youth 16 or 17 years old may perform any non-hazardous job for unlimited hours.
• Youth 14 and 15 years old may work outside school hours in various non-manufacturing, non-mining, non-hazardous jobs. 

They cannot work:

• More than 3 hours a day on school days, including Fridays;
• More than 18 hours per week during school weeks;
• More than 8 hours a day on non-school days;
• More than 40 hours per week when school is not in session.

Also, 14- and 15-year-olds may not work before 7:00 a.m., or after 7:00 p.m., except from June 1 through Labor Day, when their permissible hours are extended to 9:00 p.m. 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.)

Different rules apply to farms, and individual States may have stricter rules. For more information on Federal and State rules on work hours and types of jobs, click here .

What Jobs Can Youth Do? 

Youth 13 Or Younger Can:

• Deliver newspapers.
• Work as a baby-sitter.
• Work as an actor or performer in motion pictures, television, theater or radio.
• Work in a business solely owned or operated by the youth's parents.
• Work on a farm owned or operated by the youth's parents.

However, parents are prohibited from employing their children in manufacturing, mining, or any other occupation declared hazardous by the Secretary of Labor. Click here for a list of prohibited occupations.

Youth 14, may work in :

• an office,
• a grocery store,
• a retail store,
• a restaurant,
• a movie theater,
• a baseball park,
• an amusement park, or
• a gasoline service station.

In addition, youth 14 may not work any other job or occupation declared hazardous by the Secretary of Labor. Click here for a list of prohibited occupations .

Youth 16, may work:

• In any job or occupation that has not been declared hazardous by the Secretary of Labor. Click here for a list of prohibited occupations . There are some exemptions for apprentice/student-learner programs in some of these hazardous occupations.

Youth 18 may work any job for any number of hours.

The U.S. Department of Labor and its Partners

• Through the YouthRules! initiative, the U.S. Department of Labor and its partners seek to promote positive and safe work experiences that help prepare young workers to enter the 21st Century workforce. YouthRules! partners include businesses, advocacy groups, all levels of government, unions, and other organizations. For a list of YouthRules! Partners, click here .

• The safety of young workers is of paramount importance to the Department of Labor. In recent years, the Department has increased its efforts to educate both employers and teenaged workers about on-the-job safety.

• Youth employment increases significantly during the summer, so many of these efforts are geared toward minors who work at amusement parks and fast food restaurants. Click here for a list of resources for employers of minors .