@Q01 ÚÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ¿ ³ MAY MY BUSINESS HIRE CHILDREN ³ ³ UNDER THE AGE OF 18? ³ ÀÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÙ The provisions of the federal Fair Labor Standards Act, as well as various state laws, regulate or prohibit the em- ployment of children in many kinds of business settings. Under the federal law, these child labor restrictions only apply to children under the age of 18. State laws vary from state to state, and in many cases are more restrictive than the FLSA provisions. QUESTION: What age children are you considering hiring in your business? 1 - Age 16 or 17 2 - Age 14 or 15 3 - Under the age of 14 @MC\03 01\Q02 02\Q03 03\Q04 @Q02 CONCLUSION: The FLSA only restricts your right to hire chil- dren under age 16, as a general rule. However, the Depart- ment of Labor is allowed to exclude children ages 16 and 17 from certain occupations that are designated as hazardous from time to time by the Secretary of Labor. These restric- tions are quite detailed, so you may need to consult an at- torney for guidance if your business is one that is at all hazardous to the health or morals of minors. ÚÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ¿ ³ WARNING: This consulting session deals only with the ³ ³ federal child labor rules, so even if it appears from ³ ³ this "consulting" session that you would be able to ³ ³ hire children under the age of 18 in your business, ³ ³ you will still need to consult an attorney regarding ³ ³ the child labor laws in your state, which may apply ³ ³ in cases where the FLSA does not. (Or else get a copy ³ ³ of the "STARTING AND OPERATING A BUSINESS" book for ³ ³ your state, which provides such detailed information) ³ ÀÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÙ @STOP @Q03 CONCLUSION: Federal child labor laws prohibit the hiring of children under the age of 16 as follows: . They (or children 16 or 17) may not be hired in cer- tain hazardous occupations, as designated by the U.S. Secretary of Labor; . They also may not be hired in any of the following circumstances: . To work in any workplace where mining, manu- facturing, or processing operations take place; . To operate power machinery (other than office equipment); . To operate (or serve as a helper on) motor vehicles; . To work in public messenger services; or . To work in the following occupations: (1) transportation; (2) warehousing or storage; (3) communications or public utilities; or (4) construction (except sales or office work). Children age 14 or 15 can be hired in other occupations not considered to be hazardous, but there are numerous limita- tions on the hours and times when they may work, particular- ly when schools are in session. State laws also generally have very detailed restrictions on working hours and times for children, which generally differ from the FLSA rules. ÚÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ¿ ³WARNING: This consulting session deals only with the³ ³federal child labor rules, so even if it appears from³ ³this "consulting" session that you would be able to³ ³hire children of a particular age for your business,³ ³you will still need to consult an attorney regarding³ ³the child labor laws in your state, which may apply³ ³in cases where the FLSA does not. (Or else get a copy³ ³of the "STARTING AND OPERATING A BUSINESS" book for³ ³your state, which provides such detailed information)³ ÀÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÙ @STOP @Q04 CONCLUSION: Under Federal child labor laws, your ability to hire children under the age of 14 is EXTREMELY limited. Only a few types of work for such young children are allowable, the main ones being newspaper delivery and theatrical work. ÚÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ¿ ³WARNING: This consulting session deals only with the³ ³federal child labor rules, so even if it appears from³ ³this "consulting" session that you would be able to³ ³hire children under the age of 14 for your business,³ ³you will still need to consult an attorney regarding³ ³the child labor laws in your state, which may apply³ ³in cases where the FLSA does not. (Or else get a copy³ ³of the "STARTING AND OPERATING A BUSINESS" book for³ ³your state, which provides such detailed information)³ ÀÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÙ @STOP @HELP @H\01 Select the age range of potential em- ployees on which you wish to receive guidance as to Federal restrictions on your ability to hire children in a par- ticular age range. Remember that the various state child labor laws are not included in the following analyses. Type an item #, 1 to 3, and press ENTER. @END