Child Labor Laws and Young Workers

The rules vary by age and task. Some state child labor laws are inconsistent with the federal child labor provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act, 29 U.S.C. 212(c), and its implementing regulations at 29 CFR Part 570. Where a state child labor law is less restrictive than the federal law, the federal law applies. Where a state child labor law is more restrictive than the federal law, the state law applies.

Working at Most Jobs

Do you wait tables at a restaurant? Bag groceries at the local supermarket? What about a summer job working with a construction contractor? First check whether you can work at that job while you are under the age of 18.

• My child is under 14 years old.
• My teenager is 14 or 15 years old.
• My teenager is 16 or 17 years old.
• My teenager is 18 years old or older.

Working on Ranches and Farms

Do you want to work on a ranch or farm, or at another outdoor job? Does harvesting blueberries, cutting hay, herding cattle, or being a farmhand interest you? If so, check the dos and don’ts of working in farming if you are under the age of 18.

• My child is under 12 years old.
• My child is 12 or 13 years old.
• My teenager is 14 or 15 years old.
• My teenager is 16 years old or older.

More Resources on this Topic

Explore our young worker toolkit to better understand federal child labor laws.

• Video Library

  

• General Overview

  

• Dangerous Jobs

  

Common Child Labor Violations

• Working longer or later than legally allowed
• Driving a motor vehicle or forklift
• Using meat-processing machines and vertical dough or batter mixers
• Performing jobs that are off-limits for their age

Contact Us

Many investigations are initiated by complaints, which are free and confidential. The name of the complainant, the nature of the complaint, and whether a complaint exists may not be disclosed. An employer cannot retaliate against a worker for exercising their rights, filing a complaint or cooperating with an investigation.

Contact Us Now

Encourage Your Child to Download Our Timesheet App

Help empower young workers by encouraging them to track their work hours and calculate their pay automatically with our free timesheet app. Add comments, use multiple pay frequency options, and additional pay calculations. Users can select English or Spanish within the app.

Scan this QR code to get started.