With students about to finish classes for the school year, many businesses are ramping up to hire teenage workers for the summer. Hiring teens as seasonal help can be a rewarding experience for both employers and employees. Youths in the workplace typically bring energy and enthusiasm to their jobs and employers gain a source of low cost labor.
When employing teens, employers do need to be aware of and follow a unique set of regulations intended to protect the health, safety and well being of minors. Before hiring minors it's important to familiarize yourself with both federal and state laws on teen employment.
Regulations and restrictions include the following:
Minimum Age- The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) has provisions intended to protect minors. The minimum lawful employment age established by the FLSA is fourteen.
Age Verification- The Department of Labor (DOL) requires employers to keep records of the date of birth of employees under the age of 19. The DOL recommends employers obtain a copy of a birth certificate or an age certificate issued by the Wage & Hour division. Federal law does not require minors to obtain work permits but many states do. It's important to verify the requirements for your state.
Places of Employment- Minors are prohibited from working in dangerous occupations and from performing tasks that present a hazard. Examples of hazardous work include any job that involves operating power driven tools and machinery.
Hours- The number of hours a minor can work in a given day, as well as what time of day he/she can work during the day depends on the minor's age and if school is in session.
Pay- All employees, including minors must be paid at least the minimum wage. (Exceptions can be made for "opportunity wages" and "apprenticeship/student learner pay".)
In addition to regulations, employers may want to provide teen workers with guidelines and training targeted to their specific jobs. Guidelines and training geared to the inexperienced worker can help them understand what is expected of them and how best to do their jobs.
Although complying with regulations may seem like an obstacle, hopefully employers won't let it get in the way of hiring qualified summer help. Hiring teenagers can be a positive experience for everyone involved- especially if regulations are closely followed and expectations are clearly set.