Summer time has finally arrived! Well, not technically for a few more weeks, but for many high school students, their break has already started. And for many businesses, it means the hiring pool just got a little bigger.
Hiring high school students can be very beneficial to both your business and students. But, before you do so, you may want to be familiar with your federal and state child labor laws that are applied to employees under the age of 18.
Under federal law, employers may be subject to civil penalties for each employee who is the subject of a child labor violation, in addition to possible criminal penalties and/or imprisonment. Employers may also be subject to further penalties for violations of state child labor laws.
On the federal level, child labor is regulated by sections 12 and 13(c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act (“FLSA”) and enforced by the U.S. Department of Labor (“DOL”). The FLSA and the regulations of the DOL have established the number of hours per day and per week that minors of various ages may work, as well as the types of work they may and may not perform. However, you should always be aware of and adhere to the laws of your state, which often impose greater or different requirements on employers.
If you plan to hire minors, be aware that some states that also require work permits have different guidelines than the federal laws. Please contact us if you have questions about your state’s requirements.
