Kids Are Our Future

Parents can teach children responsibility and to love working by supporting them in working. By working, children can get out into the real world and gain experience, can learn in a real practical way. Children who are too young to work can begin to learn about the work ethic at home by doing chores. They will learn how to start and finish an assigned task, which builds a good foundation for a job.

As a reminder, we suggest before a child takes a job, it’s a good idea to discuss certain things about working, such as how many working hours a week is appropriate, how far the child may travel to a job, and what type of work is acceptable. School work still should be the first priority for children.

Working can teach children in many ways, here list some of them.

Building a good work ethic
A strong sense of responsibility is essential for working. Understanding what is required and doing better for a job are basic parts of being a responsible adult. The earlier a child starts to learn this responsibility, the more he or she grows with better personality. Taking responsibility for work also can carry over to taking responsibility for the family, the community, the country and the global society too.

Learning basic skills
A job can help a child learn to adapt himself or herself to get work done and gain self-confidence in doing it well. Working teaches children time-management skills; let them manage time more effectively. In addition, searching job is a learning process for children; they can learn how to write cover letters, resumes and interview skills, which definitely are very useful skills for their life. Some jobs give training to new comers, which can be helpful in landing better jobs later on.

Gaining work experience
A job usually requires work experience, but a child can not get that experience without getting a job. Starting at a job is the first step to build up work experience that can help the child later into a better job. Actually any experience is better than nothing. Children can learn right from wrong, can do better.

Facilitating saving
For example, by working in a restaurant, the child at last received his or her paycheck for $50. He or she will understand earning money need hard working and effort. He or she would not spend money like picking it from a tree.

Getting to know work environments
For example, the child usually goes to a restaurant as a custom, while by working there as an employee, he or she will learn more about the restaurant, including collaboration with co-workers.

Testing knowledge and aptitude
To do the part-time or the summer job, the child will use what he or she learned, and will find out in order to do better, what he or she need to do. Then learn more to strengthen his or her weakness and strength.

Improving social skill
Social skills play a very import role for a child to success. By collaborating with his or her co-workers, his or her social skill will be improved, which benefits his or her life.

Many teenagers gain valuable experience, learn skills, and improve self-confidence by working. In the meantime, working teens also face some risks. Because teens are young and have no or less social and work experience, they are more likely to get hurt at work than adults. Parents, employers and young workers should work together to ensure that work is a safe and positive experience for teens.

Here are some suggestions parents may take to help teens stay safe and gain good experience at work.

Before teens starting work

1. Learn the child labor laws and make sure the teen knows them well
Federal and state child labor laws are designed to restrict the working environments, tasks and hours that teens work. They act as a basic rule to protect working teens. However, different country, different state has different laws. Parents should do research carefully.

2. Decide what kind of job is acceptable
Depends on each teen’s individual and family needs, bottom line is safety and health first.

3. Set limits on working hours
Studies have shown that teens who work more than 20 hours a week or work late at night are less alert in class and less prepared, which lead to bad school performance. Working long hours and/or late also affects teens’ health.

4. After the teen passed the interview, talk with him or her about the job
For example, ask the teen about what tasks he or she is asked to do? Whether the teen will be trained to do the assigned tasks safely? Whether the workplace looks safe?

5. Go to the possible workplace and meet the supervisor
Walk around to confirm it is a safe place. Ask the supervisor where he or she is while the teen is working and get his or her contact information. If possible talk with the future co-workers as well.

After teens started working

1. Remind the teen safety rules frequently
For example, to follow federal and state child labor laws and other safety rules and tips.

2. Talk about his or her job and feeling about the job frequently
For example, whether the employer follows federal and state child labor laws? Whether the teen gets along with co-workers?

3. Go to the teens’ workplace when he or she is working several times
Confirm that he or she works safely and observe the teen’s workplace, be aware of any unsafe factors.

4. Talk about the teens’ concerns
For example, whether he or she feels overloaded? Is there any difficulty?

5. Contact related agencies if need additional help
Government and law offices have more assistance to protect working teens.

Here we talk about Workplace Federal Law and Law in California, U.S.A., for protecting working teens. This just serves as guidance, parents should confirm from your authorities.

By California’s child labor laws, almost all minors under the age of 18 are subject to California’s child labor protections. All minors under 18 years of age employed in the state of California must have a permit to work. The federal Fair Labor Standards Act also requires a certificate of age for working minors. The state Permit to Employ and Work is accepted as the federal certificate of age.

Federal and state occupational restrictions require in most cases minors must be at least 14 years of age to begin working. Minors who are self-employed do not require permits.

Prohibited Jobs

Labor laws are in place to protect teenagers from doing dangerous work. Because of the possible hazards, some jobs in California are restricted based on age.

Prohibited Jobs for 14 or 15-year-old

For example, teens cannot work in a job that involves any of the following:

• Loading or unloading trucks
• Using any power driven machinery
• Cooking or Baking
• Working in manufacturing
• Working in construction
• Working more than 10 feet above ground

For more completed information on prohibited jobs in California, see Child Labor Laws 2000

Prohibited Jobs for 16 or 17-year-old

For example, teens 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
• Driving a vehicle
• Operating power driven machines
• Working more than 10 feet above ground
• Flagging traffic on public roads

For more completed information on prohibited jobs in California, see Child Labor Laws 2000

Legal Working Hours

The number of hours teens can work varies, based on their age and the time of year.

For 14 or 15-year-old

Non-school time is considered to be from June 1 through Labor Day.

How many hours can work per day?
Up to 3 hours a day on school days (Monday through Thursday)
Up to 8 hours a day (Saturday, Sunday, and non-school days)

How many hours can work per week?
Up to 18 hours in any week during the school days
Up to 40 hours per week during non-school days
Up to 6 days a week

How early can start work?
On both weekdays and weekends teens can start work no earlier than 7:00 a.m.

How late can work?
On weekdays during school days can work no later than 7:00 p.m.
On non-school days cannot work later than 9:00 p.m.

For 16 or 17-year-old

The number of hours teens 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 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 work per week?
Up to 20 hours in any week during the school day
Up to 48 hours per week during non-school day
Up to 6 days per week

How early can start work?
On weekdays during school days can start work no earlier than 7:00 a.m.
On non-school days can start at 5:00 a.m.

How late can work during the school year?
During school days can work until 10:00 p.m. Sunday through Thursday
On Friday and Saturday can work until Midnight

How late can work during non-school times?
Teens can work no later than Midnight.

When does an adult 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, must have an adult supervisor on site.

Meal and Rest Breaks

Teens are permitted to take meal breaks and rest breaks depending on how many hours they work and their age.

For 14 or 15-year-old
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.

For 16 or 17-year-old
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 uninterrupted meal break when working more than 5 hours a day

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 California increases each year.

For 14 or 15-year-old
Minors may not be paid less than 85% of the adult minimum wage.

For 16-year-old or older
The current minimum wage in California is $8.0 per hour(Jan 2008).

How about tips?
Under state law, tips cannot be counted toward their minimum wage.

Overtime Pay

They must get paid one and a half times their regular rate of pay if they work over 40 hours a week for those who can work up to 48 hours.