Employer Responsibilities

Jobs That a 14- or 15-Year Old Can Do

Jobs That a 16- or 17-Year Old Can Do

Working Hours

Working Conditions

Wages

Agricultural Employment

Entertainment production

Door-to-Door Sales

Youth Camps

Prohibited Occupations

 
 
A guide for 14 through 17-year-olds, their parents and employers
 
Note: Nothing contained in the following summary of administrative rules and statutory requirements applies to minors who are news carriers or who work in and about the family home. Nor does this summary cover all regulations by all agencies. Contact the nearest Bureau of Labor and Industries office with specific questions.

Going To Work For The First Time

 

EMPLOYERS WHO HIRE MINORS MUST:

• File an annual employment certificate with the Bureau of Labor and Industries. The employment certificate must contain the following information:
  • Estimated number of minors to be employed
  • Description of job duties to be performed
  • The work area and address of employment
  • Ages of minors employer is hiring
  • Description of any power-driven machinery or other equipment to be used by minor employees
• The validated certificate must be posted in a conspicuous place where all employees may readily see it.
• Verify the age of each minor hired from an appropriate proof of age document
• Maintain a list of all minors employed
• Comply with all child labor laws

 
 
 
Jobs That 14- and 15-Year-Old Workers Can Do
 

Types of Businesses	These are examples of the kinds of jobs that 14-and 15-year-olds may apply for:
Offices	Office work of all kinds.
Wholesale/Retail Stores and Services	Price marking or tagging, assembling or packing orders, cashiering, selling or stock work in retail sales or service establishments, bagging orders in grocery stores, clean-up work, including using vacuum cleaners and floor waxers, display or window trimming, work in art or advertising offices.
Restaurants, Hotels	Food service, bussing dishes, cooking at soda fountains, lunch counters or cafeteria serving counters, kitchen work including the use of machines such as dishwashers, blenders, corn-poppers, dumbwaiters.
Carwashes	Car washing, cleaning and polishing.
Service Stations	Service station attendant, but not using pits, racks or lifting apparatus, and not inflating any tire mounted on a rim equipped with removable retaining ring.
Theaters, Amusement Parks	Ushering, sales or services in theaters, recreation areas or establishments but not operating rides.
Parks, Yards	Outdoor maintenance work, such as brush clearing, removing litter, grounds-keeping, but not using power driven mowers or cutters.
Nursing Homes, Hospitals	Assisting in patient care in hospitals or nursing homes, but not using any power driven lifting apparatus.
Daycare Centers	Child care.
Kennels	Pet grooming, pet care.
Farms	Agricultural work, such as picking or plant propagation, care of livestock.
Entertainment Productions	Acting or performing in a film or entertainment production.

 
Jobs That 16- and 17-Year-Old Workers Can Do
There are many more jobs that 16- and 17-year-olds may do. They are restricted only in the use of some machinery, explosives, radioactive substances, mining and logging operations. (See the list of hazardous, prohibited occupations.)

 

WORKING HOURS

 
FOR 14- AND 15-YEAR-OLDS
 
When school is in session:

• Three hours per day on school days,
• Eight hours per day on non-school days,
• 18 hours per week maximum,
• Only between the hours of 7 a.m. and 7 p.m.
  
  Working is not allowed during school hours.

 
When school is not in session:

• Eight hours per day,
• 40 hours per week maximum,
• From June 1 through Labor Day: 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.

 
FOR 16- AND 17-YEAR-OLDS
 
Any time of year:

• Any hours - no daily restrictions,
• 44 hours per week maximum.

 

 

ALL employers operating in Oregon, including those covered under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act, must comply with state laws regulating general working conditions.
 
Breaks (Rest Periods)
 
Rest periods of at least 15 minutes must be provided during each 4 hours (or major portion) of work time.
 
Meal Periods
 
Meal periods of at least 30 minutes must be provided no later than five hours and one minute after the minor reports to work. Fourteen and 15-year-olds must be fully relieved of work duties during this time. Sixteen and 17-year-old employees may work during a meal period, but must be paid for their time. This is permissible only when the nature and circumstances of the work prevent the employee from being relieved of all duty.
 
Adequate Work
 
Adequate work must be provided if the employer requires the minor to report to work. Adequate work means enough work (or compensation in lieu of work) to earn at least one half of the scheduled day´s earnings.
 
Weight Lifting
An employee cannot be required to lift any weight which is too great for the individual.
 
 

WAGES

 
Minimum Wage

• Employees must receive at least the minimum wage for all hours worked, including preparation time, opening and closing times and required meetings.
• Employers may not use tips as credit toward minimum wages owed to any employees.
• Employers covered under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act must comply with state laws regulating payment of minimum wage and overtime.

 
Overtime
 
Employees must be paid time and one-half the regular rate of pay for any time worked over 40 hours a week.
 
Paydays
 
Regular paydays must be established and maintained. A pay period may not exceed 35 days.
 
Deductions
 
Employers MAY make deductions for:

• The fair market value of meals or lodging provided for the private benefit of the employee.
• Those items which are required by law or provided for in a collective bargaining agreement.

Employers MAY NOT make deductions for the cost of:

• uniforms or tools or their maintenance.
• breakage or losses.

 
An itemized statement of deductions made from wages must be provided with each paycheck.
 
Uniforms
 
An employer may require an employee to purchase a uniform if the employee is paid more than minimum wage and the purchase price is not more than the amount paid above the minimum wage for ONE PAY PERIOD.
 
If an employee is required to wear a uniform and is being paid minimum wage, the employer must reimburse the employee for cleaning the uniform if dry cleaning is required.
 
Final Paychecks
 
If an employee is fired, all wages earned are due not later than the end of the first business day after discharge. If an employee quits with 48 hours or more notice, wages are due the last working day. If any employee quits without at least 48 hours notice, wages are due in five days or on the next payday, whichever occurs first. (There are some exceptions. Contact any Bureau of Labor and Industries office for information.)
 
 

AGRICULTURAL EMPLOYMENT

 

 
Who Can Work
 
Minors who are 12 years old may work on a farm. Minors who are 9 years old may work on a small farm which is operated under state regulations.
 
Power Driven Machinery

• A certificate of training for a completed program in tractor and farm machinery operation (4-H or vocational agriculture) is required to operate, to assist in operating, or to ride in or on power driven farm machinery.
• All employers, except as noted below, are required to submit an annual employment certificate application to the Wage and Hour Division.
• A minor may operate farm machinery at any age without an annual employment certificate if employed by the minor´s father, mother, grandmother, grandfather, brother, sister, uncle or aunt, OR if living on a farm during summer vacation and the minor´s parent or guardian has made a written agreement covering the operation of machinery and filed a copy of the agreement with the Wage and Hour Commission.

 
Agricultural Minimum Wage
 
If paid on a piece-rate basis, minors must be paid the same piece rates as adult workers. Piece-rate pay must equal minimum wage for the hours worked. Work on a small farm, however, may not be subject to the minimum wage law. For detailed information on minimum wage in agriculture, contact the nearest Bureau of Labor and Industries office.  See here  for more information on state/federal laws pertaining to minors.
 
There is no requirement to pay overtime to agricultural employees.
 
Hours In Agriculture
 
There are special rules concerning the hours of work that apply to minors working in agriculture. These rules are available from the nearest Bureau of Labor and Industries office.
 
 
 

ENTERTAINMENT PRODUCTIONS

 

Employers engaged in entertainment productions involving minors may register with the Bureau of Labor and Industries in lieu of an annual employment certificate.
 
Minors of any age, except babies under 15 days old, may work in films, television productions, stage entertainment or other kinds of entertainment productions.
 
Contact the Bureau of Labor and Industries for the appropriate forms.
 

CANNERIES

 

Minors employed in canneries may not work longer than 10 hours in any one day unless the employer has been issued an emergency overtime permit by the Wage and Hour Commission.
 

DOOR-TO-DOOR SALES

 

Minors who are at least 16 years old may work as a salesperson selling products in residential areas door-to-door. The employer must be registered with the Bureau and give each minor a Bureau of Labor and Industries identification card to carry and show to customers.
Door-to-door sales work is not subject to minimum wage law.
 
 

YOUTH CAMPS

 

Non-profit youth camps are not subject to the minimum wage or overtime laws. There are no restrictions on the hours minors 16 and over may work in youth camps. Minors under 16 may not work more than eight (8) hours per day or 40 hours per week. Nor may minors under 16 work before 6 a.m. or later than 10 p.m.
 
 

PROHIBITED/HAZARDOUS OCCUPATIONS OR OPERATIONS

 

1. Occupations Involving Explosives
 
All occupations in or about plants or establishments manufacturing or storing explosives or articles containing explosive components.
 
2. Motor Vehicle Occupations
 
All occupations of motor vehicle driver or outside helper riding outside the cab for the purpose of assisting in the transporting of goods.
 
3. Coal Mine Occupations
 
All coal mining occupations performed under ground, in an open pit, or on the surface of a coal mining plant for the purpose of extracting, grading, cleaning or handling coal.
 
4. Logging and Sawmilling Occupations
 
All logging operations or occupations in the operation of any sawmill, lathmill, shingle mill, or cooperage stock mill.
 
5. Power Driven Woodworking Machine Occupations
 
Woodworking occupations involving the use or maintenance of power driven woodworking machines for cutting, shaping, forming, surfacing, nailing, stapling, wire stitching, fastening or assembling, pressing or printing of wood or veneer.
 
6. Occupations Involving Exposure to Radioactive Substances
 
Occupations involving exposure to radioactive substances and to ionizing radiations.
 
7. Power Driven Hoisting Apparatus Occupations
 
Occupations involving the operation of power driven hoisting apparatus or assisting in the operation of hoisting apparatus, such as:

• elevators
• cranes
• derricks
• hoists
• fork-lifts
• high-lift trucks
• man-lifts
• freight elevators

 
8. Power Driven Metal Working Machine Occupations
 
The occupations of operator of or helper on power driven metal forming, punching and shearing machines.
 
This ORDER DOES NOT APPLY TO a very large group of metal working machines known as machine tools. MACHINE TOOLS, such as:

• milling function machines
• lathes
• planing function machines
• borers
• grinding function machines-drills
• drill press-reamers
• honers

 
may be used by 16- and 17-year-old minors, as well as a number of other machine tools.
 
9. Occupations in Mining, Other Than Coal
 
Occupations in or on the surface of underground mines or quarries.
 
10. Occupations in Slaughtering or Meat Processing
 
Occupations involving slaughtering, meat packing or processing, or rendering, including but not limited to, the use, repair or cleaning of the following machines: meat patty forming machines, meat slicing machines, meat and bone cutting saws, knives and grinding, mixing, chopping machines.
 
11. Power Driven Bakery Machine Occupations
 
The occupations of operating, assisting to operate, repair or cleaning of dough mixers, batter mixers, bread dividing, rounding or molding machines, dough brake, dough sheeters, bread slicing and wrapping machines and cake cutting band saws. The occupation of setting up or adjusting a cookie or cracker machines. Other bakery machines may be used by 16- and 17-year-old minors.
 
12. Power Driven Paper Products Machine Occupations
 
The occupations of operating or assisting to operate paper products machines including, but not limited to: arm type wire stitchers or staplers, cover cutters, circular or band saws, guillotine paper cutters, scrap paper balers, platen die cutting presses, platen printing presses and punch presses.
 
Many paper products machines MAY BE USED by 16- and 17-year-old minors, including but not limited to:

• bag making and boxmaking machines
• gluing, gumming and folding machines
• rotary printing presses.

 
13. Brick and Tile Manufacturing Occupations
 
All work in or about establishments in which clay construction products are manufactured except work in offices, storage, shipping and drying departments. All work in or about establishments in which silica brick or silica refractory products are manufactured, except work in offices.
 
14. Operation of Power Saws and Shears Occupations
 
All occupations of operator or helper or setting up, repairing or cleaning circular saws, band saws and guillotine shears.
 
15. Occupations in Wrecking, Demolition and Shipbreaking Operations
 
All Occupations in wrecking, demolition and shipbreaking.
 
16. Occupations in Roofing Operations
 
All roofing operations, except gutter and downspout work which may be performed by 16- and 17-year-old employees.
 
17. Occupations in Excavation Operations
 
Excavating, working in, or backfilling trenches exceeding four feet in depth. Excavating for buildings or working in such excavations. Working in tunnels or shafts prior to the completion of all driving, sinking and shoring operations.
 
18. Messenger Service Occupations
 
All delivery of messages or goods between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m.
 
(For a complete listing of prohibited machines, see "Child Labor Bulletin No. 101" available from the United States Department of Labor, Wage-Hour Division in Portland, (503) 326-3057.)
 
 
For more contact information.