Younger workers – those under the age of 18 – can be a great source of workplace talent for employers. They’re energetic, creative and, for the most part, flexible if you can work around their academic and extracurricular commitments.
If you’re thinking of hiring youth labor for your business, you’ll need to be mindful that most states have their own rules about employing young workers. In addition, some states have different minimum wage requirements. When federal and state regulations differ, the rules that provide the most protection apply.
Here’s a brief overview of some key rules in the states in which MarathonHR has clients.
| State | Employment Certificate | Age Certification | Maximum daily/weekly hours (When school is in session) | Maximum daily/weekly hours (When school is not in session) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Under 18 | Not Required | 3 hr/day; 18 hr/week | 40 hr/week; 6 days/week |
| Florida | Not required | Under 18 | 3 when followed by school day, except if enrolled in vocational program; 15 hr/week | 8 hr/day; 40 hr/week; 6 days/week |
| Georgia | Under 16 | Not required | 3 hr/day; 18 hr/week | 8 hr/day; 40 hr/week; 6 days/week |
| North Carolina | Under 18 | Not required | Students of 14 and 15 enrolled in approved Work Experience and Career Exploration programs may work during school hours up to 3 hours on a school day and 23 hours in a school week | |
| South Carolina | Not required | Not required | 3 hr/day; 18 hr/week | 8 hr/day; 40 hr/week; 6 days/week |
| Tennessee | Not required | Not required | 3 hr/day; 18 hr/week | 8 hr/day; 40 hr/week; 6 days/week |
| Virginia | Under 16 | Under 16 | 3 hr/day; 18 hr/week | 8 hr/day; 40 hr/week; 6 days/week |
There are also restrictions on the number of nighttime hours that youth can work, especially before school days.