Catching Up on Child Labor Laws
By T. Ciarfalio
Integrating your teen into your family business, your job or even a side business carries a number of benefits. It can be a terrific way for them to learn responsibility, earn money, and prepare them for the workplace. But one of the first steps a responsible parent should take is understanding the legalities and safety issues involved with hiring your own teenager.
The Department of Epidemiology and Population Health at the University of Louisville in Kentucky recently conducted the first study ever to examine teenagers working in family owned businesses. They developed a questionnaire that was distributed to 8,085 teens in high schools throughout the five public health regions of Wisconsin and compared the experiences of teens working in family businesses to the experiences of other working teens.
84% of teens responded, and of that group, 42% or 2,858 high school teens aged 14-17 reported working (42%) and 963 or 34% said they worked in a family business. It was found that teens working in family businesses were more likely to report that their injury was severe, affecting their activities for more than three days, compared with other working teens by a rate of 33% to 21%. The percentage of teens working in family businesses that reported broken bones or crushed body parts was 17% compared to only 5% of other-working teens. Additionally, teens employed in family businesses were more likely to file for workers’ compensation – 28% vs. 12%.
In sum, the study found that teens working in family owned businesses were more likely to report engaging in dangerous tasks, including some that are illegal under the Hazardous Occupation Orders and may be at a greater risk for more severe injury based on the jobs and tasks they are doing.
The high rate of teen injuries in family owned businesses sends a clear message: parents need to understand both federal and state laws regarding putting their children to work Further, they need to be aware that youthful enthusiasm and willingness does not equal maturity, and take all safety precautions accordingly.
For your convenience, we’ve included a rundown of federal laws for teen workers. We recommend you also check your state laws regarding state labor as any states have stricter standards that take precedence over these.
No worker under 18 may:
• Drive a motor vehicle as a regular part of the job or operate a forklift at any time.
• Operate many types of powered equipment like a circular saw, box crusher, meat slicer, or bakery machine.
• Work in wrecking, demolition, excavation, or roofing.
• Work in mining, logging, or a sawmill.
• Work in meat-packing or slaughtering.
• Work where there is exposure to radiation.
• Work where explosives are manufactured or stored.
No one 14 or 15 years old may:
• Bake or cook on the job (except at a serving counter).
• Operate power-driven machinery, except certain types which pose little hazard such as those used in offices.
• Work on a ladder or scaffold.
• Work in warehouses.
• Work in construction, building, or manufacturing.
• Load or unload a truck, railroad car, or conveyor.
Hours limitations
• Work must be performed between the hours of 7 a.m. and 7 p.m., except from June 1 through Labor Day, when evening hours are extended to 9 p.m.
• Youths 18 or older may perform any job, whether hazardous or not, for unlimited hours, in accordance with minimum wage and overtime requirements.
• Youths 16 and 17 years old may perform any non-hazardous job, for unlimited hours.
• Youths 14 and 15 years old may work outside school hours in various non-manufacturing, non-mining, non-hazardous jobs up to
• 3 hours on a school day
• 18 hours in a school week
• 8 hours on a non-school day
• 40 hours on a non-school week
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http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21717209
http://www.dol.gov/dol/topic/youthlabor/index.htm
