|
It's hard to believe, but summer is almost here. And if you're planning on hiring young workers to add to your ranks during the summer months, now's the time to read up on the special safety rules that apply to teens in the workplace.
Below, we review what you should know about jobs teens can't perform. And further, we'll look at the wage and hour rules that apply to teen workers.
Generally, federal law (and most state laws) prohibit teens from working in hazardous industries and jobs. In particular, teens cannot work in these industries: meat packing, mining, logging, roofing, demolition, and pipe or brick
manufacturing. You can also get into trouble for allowing minors to work around explosives; radioactive materials; or power equipment used for baking, meat slicing, woodworking, hoisting, or metal formation.
Minors under age 16 can't work in industries such as building construction, public utilities, storage warehousing, public communications, transportation, and manufacturing. They're also barred from operating farm machinery; working
from high scaffolds or ladders; or dealing with dangerous animals, large timber, hazardous storage areas, manure pits, or chemicals. Other jobs that are off-limits to 14- and 15-year-olds include retail or food-service positions that
involve working around boilers or engineering rooms, operating or maintaining power equipment, washing windows using ladders, loading and unloading goods, or using freezers and coolers.
Does the job include driving? Take note that teens under age 17 can't drive on public streets for work purposes. Seventeen-year-olds are permitted to drive but with certain restrictions, including that the driving be during daylight
hours and amount to no more than one-third of the youth's work time in a day or 20 percent in a week.
One more point to keep in mind with respect to teen drivers in California: Effective July 1, 2008, it will be illegal for individuals under age 18 to drive a motor vehicle while using a mobile phone, even with a hands-free device.
The law also bars these teens from driving while using any other mobile service device, such as a broadband personal communication device, a specialized mobile radio device, a pager, a two-way messaging device, or a handheld device or
laptop computer with mobile data access. The ban won't apply if the teen has to make a call for emergency purposes to, for example, a law enforcement agency, a healthcare provider, or the fire department.
For more information, check out
federal OSHA's website focused on teen worker safety.
Also, with summer just around the corner and teens getting ready to enter the workforce once school's out, this is the time for employers to study up on the wage and hour rules that protect young workers. Now here's a look at the
hours teens can work over the summer and some special wage rules.
Fourteen is the minimum age for most non-farm work. However, at any age, youths may deliver newspapers; perform in radio, television, movie, or theatrical productions; work for parents in their solely-owned non-farm business (except
in manufacturing or on hazardous jobs); or gather evergreens and make evergreen wreaths.
Youths 14 and 15 years old may work outside school hours in various nonmanufacturing, nonmining, nonhazardous jobs under the following conditions: no more than 3 hours on a school day, 18 hours in a school week, 8 hours on a
non-school day, or 40 hours in a non-school week. Also, work may not begin before 7 a.m., nor end after 7 p.m.
Between June 1 and Labor Day, 14- and 15-year-olds can work up to eight hours a day and 40 hours a week, between 7:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m.
Sixteen- and 17-year-olds can work up to eight hours a day and 48 in a week, when school is out. During the summer months, they generally can work between the hours of 5:00 a.m. and 12:30 a.m.
Minors are covered by the same minimum wage and overtime pay requirements that apply to adult workers, but keep in mind that teens under age 16 can't work overtime. In limited circumstances, youth workers can be paid a subminimum
wage. This subminimum wage applies to "learners"employees who are in their first 160 hours of employment in occupations in which they have no previous or related experience. All minors also have the same rights as adults with respect to
meal and rest periods, itemized wage statements, etc.
Federal law does not require permits for youth to be employed, but many states do require such permits, including California. Work permits are not required in Arizona.
Adapted from Employer Advisor (R) and Employer Resource Institute (R) and US Department of Labor websites.
Answers to May Quiz:
Correct Answer: C - No, federal law prohibits employers from hiring minors to drive company vehicles.
(c) Law Room
Don't Forget To Access Our WebForms.
Answer All Your Human Resource Needs!
-
Manage Your Day-to-Day Non-Profit or Small Business
-
Organize All Necessary Human Resource Information
-
Promote Legal Compliance Within Your Organization.
Click Here To Know More!
|
|
