The Fair Labor Standards Act is responsible for setting hours, wages, and safety requirements for minors. A minor, according to the [Department of Labor, is anyone under the age of 18. But not all minors are eligible for the same work. A minor's ability to operate machinery, for instance, depends on a number of factors including the age of the minor, the kind of machinery, and the type of job that the minor will potentially be doing.
14 to 15-year-olds may work with:
14 to 15-year-olds may not perform:
May perform any non-hazardous job (outlined below.)
Minors aren't permitted to work jobs deemed hazardous by the federal government. A few of these roles include:
Minors are generally not allowed to operate power-driven machinery for work, or to perform hazardous jobs. For more specific inquiries, check out the lists of prohibited/allowable work for minors in the links below, and don't forget to check out your state's laws for any additional provisions.
Hiring Minors for Your Business - Findlaw.com
Prohibited Occupations for Non-Agricultural Employees - DOL.gov
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