Summer Hiring: Rules for Minor Employees

Summer Hiring

As summer approaches and students begin applying for jobs at dealerships, dealers should be aware of child labor laws as they apply to 14 through 17 year-olds.

Employees 14 to 15 years old may perform non-hazardous jobs, working no more than eight hours per day and a maximum of 40 hours per week. Their work schedule may not begin earlier than 7:00 a.m. or end later than 9:00 p.m.

Those students 16 and 17 years old may perform non-hazardous work for eight hours a day up to 44 hours per week at a maximum six-day workweek.

Non-hazardous work is described as:

· Office and clerical work

· Selling/cashier

· Errand and delivery work by foot, bicycle or public transportation

· Clean-up work and maintenance of grounds (federal law prohibits employees 15 or younger from operating power-driven mowers or cutters)

· Car cleaning, washing and polishing, not including work involving the inflation of any tire mounted on a rim equipped with a removable ring

Use of vehicle lifts and grease racks by employees 16 and older. The U.S. Department of Labor has concluded that the use of vehicle lifts does not amount to a hazardous occupation.

Non-hazardous duty requirements apply to any minor employee, including a son or daughter of the dealer. Dealers should also know that every minor employee must be paid the minimum wage per hour for every hour worked. The minimum wage is currently $7.15 per hour and will increase to $7.25 per hour on July 24, 2009. Sixteen and 17 year-olds receive overtime for hours worked over 40.