The U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division do not prohibit young people from working. Children 13 years old or even younger can get work but if you are below 18, you cannot just work anywhere and anytime. Here are some guidelines provided by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
Children 13 or younger can work as actors or performers, babysitters or deliver newspapers. 14-15 year-olds can work in an amusement park, gas station, office, restaurant, movie theater and retail store but under this age group, work should only be up to three hours on a school day, eight hours on a non-school day, 18 hours during a school week, and 40 hours during a non-school week.
This age group or below 15 years old cannot work during school hours, before 7 a.m. or after 7 p.m. and after 9 p.m. from June 1 through Labor Day.
Young people aged 16 or 17 can work any hours and in any job that is not hazardous. This means they cannot work in jobs that include demolition, meatpacking, mining, roofing, excavation, and logging activities.
This age group is not allowed to work with explosives, saws, radioactive materials, certain power-driven machines, or operate or ride a forklift. Most driving is prohibited for this group too.
At 18, these job restrictions no longer apply.
Employer obligations
Under the OSHA regulations, employers must keep their employees safe by protecting you from unsafe jobs, identifying and correcting job hazards, training employees in a language you can understand, complying with all youth employment and occupational safety and health laws, and not punishing or retaliating against you for complaining about health and safety hazards.
Employers must also protect employees from common job hazards such as falls from working above ground or floor level, dangerous chemicals, lifting heavy objects, powered equipment or tools, wet, slippery or uncluttered work areas, machinery, electrical equipment, and loud noises.
What you can do
Here is a guideline for employees:
• Speak up. Ask questions. Ask for help.
• Report unsafe conditions to your supervisor.
• Talk to your teacher, parent or a co-worker about your job.
• Know your workplace rights. Go to www.osha.gov/workers.html.
• Follow the safety rules.
• Use personal safety equipment provided.
• Be alert to what is going on around you.
• Never bypass the safety features of equipment or take shortcuts.
For more information, visit www.osha.gov/teens, call (800) 321-OSHA (6742), 877-889-5627 or call 236-0913 on Saipan.{jcomments off}
