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As a Teacher you have an important role in making sure that your students are working in a job that complies with Washington's child labor laws.
These regulations will differ depending on your age and what kind of job you have. There are two categories of jobs you can work in:
NON-AGRICULTURAL JOBS and AGRICULTURAL JOBS. This page contains information about NON-AGRICULTURAL JOBS only.
Information about agricultural jobs can be found at the Young Workers in Agriculture web site.
Prohibited Jobs - if your students are 14 or 15
Prohibited Jobs - if your students are 16 or 17
Legal Working Hours - if your students are 14 or 15
Legal Working Hours - if your students are 16 or 17
Meal and Rest Breaks
Minimum Wage
Workers' Compensation
Special Variance
Parent/School Authorization Forms
Student Volunteers
Prohibited Jobs
Labor laws are in place to protect teenagers from doing dangerous work. Because of the
possible hazards, some jobs in Washington are restricted based on age. The information below is divided into two sections:
Prohibited Jobs - if your students are 14 or 15
If your students are 14 or 15 years old, they cannot work in a job that involves any of the following:
Loading or unloading trucks
Using any power driven machinery
Washing windows
Cooking or Baking
Working in manufacturing
Working in amusement parks
Being a public messenger
House to house sales
Working in transportation, warehouse, storage or construction
Working alone after 8:00 p.m. in a service business without an adult supervisor onsite
Working in jobs that require personal protective equipment (other than gloves, boots, eye protection and hard hat)
Driving a vehicle or forklift
Operating or cleaning meat slicers
Operating power driven machines
Using power-driven woodworking equipment such as saws or drills
Working as a maid or bellhop in assigned guest rooms
Being exposed to body fluids, radioactive substances or hazardous materials
Working as a nurses aid or assistant, unless they are in a state-certified training program
Working more than 10 feet above ground or floor level
Selling candy, flowers, etc. to passing motorists on public roads
Working in excavation or with earth-moving machines
Flagging traffic on public roads
Working in demolition, wrecking, or ship-breakin
Roofing
Fire fighting
Logging and sawmill work
Mining
Working in freezers, meat coolers and preparing meats for sale
Working in meat packing, slaughtering or meat processing
Working in engine rooms or boilers
Manufacturing brick, tile or similar products
Working in saunas or massage parlors, body painting or tattoo studios
Working with explosives
Repairing elevators
For more detailed information on prohibited or restricted jobs in Washington, see
http://www.lni.wa.gov/scs/workstandards/teenworker.htm
*Under certain conditions, a teenager can carry out some of these hazardous duties. In these cases, they must be a student that is participating in an approved vocational education program, diversified career experience program or work experience program through their school district or when involved in a registered apprenticeship program
Prohibited Jobs - if your students are 16 or 17
If your students are 16 or 17, they cannot work in a job that involves any of the following:
Working alone after 8:00 p.m. in a service business without an adult supervisor onsite
Working in jobs that require personal protective equipment (other than gloves, boots, eye protection, and hard hat)
Driving a vehicle or forklift
Operating or cleaning meat slicers
Operating power driven machines
Using power-driven woodworking equipment such as saws or drills
Working as a maid or bellhop in assigned guest rooms
Being exposed to body fluids, radioactive substances or hazardous materials
Working as a nurses aid or assistant, unless in a state-certified training program
Working more than 10 feet above ground or floor level
Selling candy, flowers, etc. to passing motorists on public roads
Working in excavation or with earth-moving machines
Flagging traffic on public roads
Working in demolition, wrecking, or ship-breaking
Roofing
Fire fighting
Logging and sawmill work
Mining
Working in freezers, meat coolers and preparing meats for sale
Working in meat packing, slaughtering or meat processing
Working in engine rooms or boilers
Manufacturing brick, tile or similar products
Working in saunas or massage parlors, body painting or tattoo studios
Working with explosives
Repairing elevators
For more detailed information on prohibited or restricted jobs in Washington, see
http://www.lni.wa.gov/scs/workstandards/teenworker.htm
*Under certain conditions, a teenager can carry out some of these hazardous duties. In these cases, they must be a student that is participating in an approved vocational education program, diversified career experience program or work experience program through their school district or when involved in a registered apprenticeship program.
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Legal Working Hours
If your students are 14 or 15
The number of hours your students can work varies, based on the time of year. For 14 and 15 year olds, non-school time is considered to be from June 1 through Labor Day.
How many hours can they work per day?
Up to 3 hours a day on school days (Monday through Thursday)
Up to 8 hours a day (Saturday and Sunday, and non-school times)
How many days can they work per week?
Up to 16 hours in any week during the school year
Up to 40 hours per week during non-school times
Up to 6 days a week
How early can they start work?
On both weekdays and weekends you can start work no earlier than 7:00 a.m.
How late can they work?
On weekdays during school they can work no later than 7:00 p.m.
On non-school days they cannot work later than 9:00 p.m.
| Summary of Working Hour Rules - Ages 14 -15 |
| |
School |
Non-School |
| Hours a Day |
3 hours (Mon - Fri)
8 hours (Sat - Sun) |
8 hours |
| Hours a Week |
16 hours |
40 hours |
| Days a Week |
6 days |
6 days |
| Start Time |
7 a.m |
7 a.m |
| Quit Time |
7 p.m |
9 p.m |
If your students are 16 or 17
The number of hours your students can work varies, based on school vacations. For 16 and 17 year olds, non-school time is considered to be during all school vacations.
How many hours can they work per day?
Up to 4 hours a day on school days (Monday through Thursday)
Up to 8 hours a day on non-school days (Friday through Sunday, school vacations)
How many hours can they work per week?
Up to 20 hours in any week during the school year (up to 28 hours if a special variance is applied for)
Up to 48 hours per week during non-school times.
Up to 6 days per week
How early can they start work?
On weekdays during school they can start work no earlier than 7:00 a.m.
On non-school days they can start at 5:00 a.m.
How late can they work during the school year?
During school they can work until 10:00 p.m. Sunday through Thursday
On Friday and Saturday they can work until Midnight
How late can they work during non-school times?
They may work no later than Midnight.
When does an adult supervisor need to be present at the workplace?
Anyone who is age 17 or younger and working past 8:00 p.m. in some type of service job (such as in a restaurant or retail business), must have an adult supervisor on site.
| Summary of Working Hour Rules - Ages 16 -17 |
| |
School |
Non-School |
| Hours a Day |
4 hours (Mon - Fri)
8 hours (Sat - Sun) |
8 hours |
| Hours a Week |
20/28* hours |
48 hours |
| Days a Week |
6 days |
6 days |
| Start Time |
7 a.m |
5 a.m |
| Quit Time |
10 p.m
Midnight (Fri-Sat) |
Midnight |
* 16 and 17 year old students who want or need to work more than 4 hours per day or more than 20 hours per week can obtain a special variance.
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Meal and Rest Breaks
Your students are permitted to take meal breaks and rest breaks depending on how many hours they work and their age. Their meal breaks must be uninterrupted and separate from their rest breaks.
If your students are 14 or 15:
Rest Breaks: If they work a 4 hour shift, they are entitled to a paid rest break at least 10 minutes long. They cannot be required to work more than 2 hours without a 10 minute break.
Meal Breaks: They cannot work more than 4 hours without a 30 minute meal break.
| Hours Worked |
Rest Break |
Meal Break |
| 4 or more |
10 minutes |
30 minutes |
If your students are 16 or 17:
Rest Breaks:
If they work a 4 hour shift, they are entitled to a paid rest
break at least 10 minutes long. They cannot be required to work
more than 3 hours without a 10 minute break.
Meal Breaks: They are entitled to an uninterupted
30 minute meal break when working more than 5 hours a day.
| Hours Worked |
Meal Break |
| 5 or more |
30 minutes |
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Minimum Wage
The amount a teenager is paid can depend on both their age and the type of work they are doing. The minimum wage in Washington increases on January 1st each year.
If your student is 16 or older:
The current minimum wage in Washington for both agricultural
and non-agricultural jobs is $7.35 per hour worked.
What if they receive tips?
Under state law, tips cannot be counted toward their minimum wage.
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Overtime Pay
They must be paid one and a half times their regular rate of pay if they work over 40 hours a week.
Example: Isabella is 17 years old and works in a restaurant bussing tables. She earns minimum wage. During summer break she worked 45 hours in one week. Because she has worked more than 40 hours she is entitled to overtime pay.
To calculate her wages for the week:
Washington's Minimum Wage ($7.35) x 40 hours=$294.00
She worked 5 hours overtime, so she gets overtime pay
$7.35 + $3.68=$11.03 (overtime pay)
$11.03 x 5 hours overtime = $55.15 (overtime earned)
$294.00 + $55.15 = $349.15 (total pay for the week)
If your student is 14 or 15
A employer may pay a 14 or 15 year old employee less
than the minimum wage, but it cannot be less than 85% of the minimum
wage, which is $6.25 per hour worked.
Example: Isabella is 15 years old and works in a restaurant bussing tables. But because of her age, her employer only has to pay her 85% of Washington states minimum wage.
To calculate her wage:
Washington's Minimum Wage x 0.85 = Maria's wage
$7.35 x 0.85 =$6.25
So Maria makes $6.25 per hour
What if they receive tips?
Under state law, tips cannot be counted toward your minimum wage.
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Overtime Pay
For more information on minimum wage in Washington, see:
http://www.lni.wa.gov/scs/workstandards/minwage.htm
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Workers' Compensation
Anyone who is injured on the job requiring more than first aid is entitled to file an injury claim to cover the costs of medical care. If the injury results in lost work time of more than 3 days, wage replacement is provided.
For more information about how workers' compensation applies to student volunteers in Washington, see:
http://www.lni.wa.gov/ipub/213-023-000.htm
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Special Variances
In some cases a 16 or 17 year old student may want or need to work more than 4 hours a day or 20 hours a week. In order to do this a special variance must be completed. A special variance requires approval by the student's parent or guardian, the student's school district representative, and the student's employer. Only students who are 16 or 17 years old may apply for a special variance.
If all three parties approve the special variance, it will allow the student to work 6 hour shifts, up to 28 hours per week in a non-agricultural job during the school year. A special variance does not require approval of the Department of Labor & Industries.
In order for a teacher to approve a special variance for a student, the school district must first apply with the Department of Labor & Industries to be part of the special variance program.
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Parent/School Authorization Forms
In Washington the responsibility for getting a minor work permit falls to the students employer. As part of the work permit process, the employer must have a Parent/School Authorization form on file. This form is available at: http://www.lni.wa.gov/forms/pdf/700002af.pdf.
In order for a student to work during the school year, a Parent/School Authorization form must first be signed by both their parent or guardian and the authorized teacher. It is the responsibility of the student's employer to provide the form to the student.
The employer needs to include the following information on the form:
The location of the workplace
A description of the students job duties
The earliest and latest hours they will be working
The total number of hours they will work per week
Because these forms expire on September 30th of each year, your student's employer will need to provide the student with a new form that needs your authorizing signature.
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Student Volunteers
In some cases you may have students volunteering with an employer. Labor & Industries has a fact sheet that provides you with more information about how workers' compensation applies to student volunteers in Washington. It is available at
http://www.lni.wa.gov/ipub/213-023-000.htm
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