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Question: How long can 16 - year olds work on school days?

Answer: 16- and 17-year olds may be employed for unlimited hours if they are working in a job considered non-hazardous. There are no federal laws restricting the number of hours of work per day or per week for 16 and 17 year olds.

 

However kids age 14 and 15 may only work outside school hours in certain jobs under the following conditions:

no more than 3 hours on a school day,
18 hours in a school week,
8 hours on a nonschool day, or
40 hours in a nonschool week.

In addition, they may not begin work before 7 a.m. nor work after 7 p.m., except from June 1 through Labor Day, when evening hours are extended until 9 p.m.

For more on Child Labor Laws, visit the United States Department of Labor Web Site. And read the special section on Child Labor Laws.
Comments
36 thru 40 of 48 comments
On 01/23/04
Aaron from MI said:
there is all ways something such as olden days work
On 01/10/04
Zack from OH said:
The reason the government limits children from working too much is so they can go to school so they can get a real job later. A few hundred dollars a week is pretty enticing as a 12 year old, but when you have to do everything for yourself, you'll wish you had an education for a real job. Is it worth having a cell phone now or sanitary living conditions a few years later?
On 01/07/04
mcdonalds from OK said:
hi i live in sallisaw oklahoma i work at the mcdonalds in sallisaw they are really bad about kids working their the mangers are not nice the store manager donna is really nice. that a place for kids but they make you come in at 3:00 and not leave intell 12pm that not fair never give rasies
On 12/27/03
Christy from LA said:
I think they should have more jobs open for my age. I only get to work at the snoball stand in the summer. They need to open stuff up that lets teens work. We need money just like adults do. I need to start saving for my car when I am 16, but how can I if I cant work until I am 16. They let us drive at 16, yet how are we supposed to buy a car if we cant work until we are 16?? My mom says I have to save for my car, but how?? I dont get allowance. Please envent somthing for teens to do! Thanks
On 11/10/03
Iesha from NJ said:
I think there should be more jobs open for 13 year olds.A lot of kids I know wished they had jobs to get what they want. In my case my parents are buying me a cell phone but I hsve to pay for the minutes Ineed a job!!!If we had jobs we wouldn't have to bug our parnts all the time.So please just give us jobs!
36 thru 40 of 48 comments


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