Youth Employment

Worker

Children have rights.

Federal child labor law generally prohibits the employment of minors in nonagricultural occupations under the age of 14, restricts the hours and types of work that can be performed by minors under 16, and prohibits the employment of minors under the age of 18 in any hazardous occupation. Different child labor law standards apply to agricultural employment.

Employer

You have the responsibility to employ youth properly.

You may hire youth as workers, but there are certain considerations when employing minors. Federal child labor law generally prohibits you from employing minors under the age of 14 in nonagricultural occupations, restricts the hours and types of work that can be performed by minors under 16, and prohibits the employment of minors under the age of 18 in any hazardous occupation. Different child labor law standards apply to agricultural employment.

Detailed information on federal and state child labor laws is available on YouthRules.gov.

Learn about Wage & Hour Division

Additional resources

Questions? We’re here to help.

We are committed to helping you understand your rights as a worker. Many questions about wage rights may be answered by using the following elaws (Employment Laws Assistance for Workers and Small Businesses) Advisor:

Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) Child Labor Rules Advisor

For additional assistance, please contact:

The Wage and Hour Division of the U.S. Department of Labor: 1-866-4-US-WAGE (1-866-487-9243)

Your state Labor Office

All discussions with us, including complaints, are free and confidential. Your name and the nature of the complaint will not be disclosed to your employer. The only time we would share such information is when necessary to pursue an allegation, and we would only do so then with your permission, or if required by a court.

 

Need more information?

The elaws (Employment Laws Assistance for Workers and Small Businesses) Advisors are a set of online tools developed by the U.S. Department of Labor to help employees and employers understand their rights and responsibilities under federal employment laws.