Putting a youth to work can be a good investment in building a future career. But, not all work demands are fit for a California youth.

The California child labor laws limit the work load so youth can attend school and focus on studying. The laws also stop any harm from happening on the job.

Minors

Californians under 18 years old are minors that have to follow the child labor laws. The typical ages for a student that works are 14 through 17.

Permitted to Work

All workers under 18 must get a work permit from their school office before beginning work. Parental permission and a school approval give the youth an opportunity to gain experience, achieve early work success, and put money in their hands. School officials can give out a work permit to a minor 12 years old or older.

12 and 13 year olds can work, but the federal and state labor laws rule out most work and tasks.

High school graduates and young people that have earned a GED do not have to get a work permit. But, they do have to get genuine training. A federal regulation makes the training a responsibility.

Emancipated minors may apply for a work permit without their parents permission. They have to follow all the child labor laws.

Hours

Extra hours are not given to youth in California. Hours are short on school days a youth is allowed to work.

Youth aged 16 to 17 can work during hours from 5 am to 10 pm on school days, and as late as 12:30 am when school is not in session.

There are maximum hour limits. No more than 48 hours a week or 4 hours a day during school weeks. A youth can work up to 8 hours a day on Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and holidays. When school is out of session, the maximum hours are 48 in a week and 8 in a day.

Youth aged 14 to 15 can work during hours from 7 am to 7 pm when school is in session from Labor Day to June 1st. Never during school hours. When school is out of session, the available times for work are 7 am to 9 pm from June 1st to Labor Day.

No more than 18 hours a week or 3 hours a day during school weeks. A youth can work up to 8 hours a day on Saturday, Sunday and holidays. When school is out of session, the maximum hours are 40 in a week and 8 in a day.

12 and 13 year olds can not work on a school day. When school is out from June 1 to Labor Day, they can work 40 hour a week 8 hours a day during the hours from 7 a m to 7 pm.

Young Californians can not work past the hours stated on a work permit.

High school graduates and GED earners do not have work hour limits.

Hours in Agriculture

Youth can earn money to pay for family and personal costs at a younger age in the agricultural work fields. 12 to 15 year olds have the same hours schedule and maximum hours as 14 to 15 year olds in other work fields. Agriculture workers 16 and 17 years old have the same day and night hours and maximums as other youth workers at those ages.

High school graduates and GED earners do not have work hour limits.

Tasks for Youth under 18

Youth are typically short on responsibility and skill. Not all tasks are fit for a youth. Assigning unsafe tasks is against the law.

High school graduates and GED earners have made the move from school to a work life. Work and task restrictions do not stop these workers from taking any job.

Seven kinds of work are not permitted.

• Wrecking or demolition
• Excavation
• Logging or sawmills
• Roofing
• Manufacturing brick or tile
• Mining
• Manufacturing or storage of explosives
• Meat packing or processing

Five tasks are not permitted.

• drive a car or truck on public streets while on the job or helping a worker on the job
• operate power driven machinery (e.g. meat slicers, dough mixers and other bakery machines, box crushers/compactors, woodworking machines, metalworking machines, punches, hoists, forklifts, circular saws, band saws, and guillotine shears)
• handling, serving, or selling alcoholic beverages
• any task that exposes workers to radioactive substances or ionizing radiation
• mixing, loading, or applying Category I pesticides

Tasks for Youth under 16

Younger Californians below the age of 16 have a longer list of outlawed work and tasks to protect them from harm.

Five kinds of work are not permitted.

• Work in the building or construction fields
• Manufacturing work and food processing work
• Baking or cooking on the job (a youth can cook at a serving counter)
• Dry cleaning or work in a commercial laundry
• Work in a warehouse (clerical work is permitted)

Five tasks are not permitted.

• work on a ladder or a scaffold
• cold air work in a freezer or a meat cooler
• loading or unloading trucks, railroad care, or conveyors
• pumping gas or oil
• cleaning, washing, or polishing cars

The Early Hours Count

Californians that have not grown to their full height do not get to have the highest number of work hours. Hours off work help students put the most work they can into their education.

Sources:

California Labor Code Section 1285 and after (2011).

California Department of Labor Standards Enforcement, Child Labor Laws 2000 (updated 2009).