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Employing Minors

Follow the rules with TLC for a happy addition to your business family

By Holly Ocasio Rizzo, Writer and editor, Holly Ocasio Rizzo
Young people can add value your labor force and you'll also get the satisfaction of helping them get started in the work world. But child-labor laws add some twists to the usual rules on job duties, hours and wages, making them lighter than those allowed for adults. For instance, federal law allows children under 13 to do certain jobs, with responsibility levels increasing at age 14 and 16. Until age 16, young employees can work limited hours per day and week when school is in session. At 18, child labor rules don't apply.

You'll need a three-part strategy to stay within the law and create a win-win situation for you and your young hires:

  1. Screen carefully, keeping in mind that Equal Employment Opportunity rules apply to minors, too.
  2. Follow youth labor laws carefully. When in doubt, consult with a lawyer.
  3. Remember that you may be your minor employees' first employer, so you may have to explain carefully your expectations for their safety and any workplace policies you have.

 

Find a waiting pool of young employees

Advertise in the local newspaper. Inquire at your school district's cooperative-education office. Or go online. Some job-hunt sites on the Web specialize in positions for teen workers. You can specify the minimum age in your help-wanted notice.
Try: SnagAJob.com and Youngjobs.com let job hunters find you according to ZIP code.

Know the law

Who's covered by youth and labor laws, who's not covered and what kinds of work can teens do at what age -- know before you hire.
Try: The U.S. Department of Labor has the lowdown on age requirements of various jobs, safety and health rules, wage laws, limits on work hours and other information, including links to state departments of labor. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission maintains a Web site, Youth@Work, highlighting anti-discrimination laws covering young workers.

Keep them safe — and welcome

Did you know that workers under age 18 can't legally operate a forklift in a non-agricultural business?Get a pile of posters and tipsheets from the Youth Rules! Program of the Department of Labor and distribute to young workers and their supervisors to keep everyone focused on working with minors the right way.
Try: Download safety stickers, bookmarks and posters listing federal youth labor laws here. Most are in English or Spanish. For printing supplies, visit Staples, Office Depot or Office Max online.

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