Learn about the Fair Labor Standards Act restrictions on work hours for 15-year-old employees. Discover what HR should advise management about scheduling minors.
Table of Contents
Question
An employer wants to hire 15-year-olds to work 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. What should HR advise management?
Answer
This may violate the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).
Explanation
The HR professional should advise management that scheduling 15-year-old employees to work from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Monday through Friday would likely violate the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).
The FLSA sets strict limits on the hours that 14- and 15-year-olds can work. According to the law:
- They can only work outside school hours
- They cannot work more than 3 hours on a school day, including Fridays
- They cannot work more than 18 hours total in a school week
- They can only work between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. (except from June 1 through Labor Day, when evening hours are extended to 9 p.m.)
Since the proposed schedule would have the 15-year-old employees working 4 hours per day on school days, exceeding the 3 hour limit, and working past 7 p.m. on school nights, it would violate multiple FLSA child labor provisions. The company could face significant penalties for noncompliance.
HR should work with management to ensure any minor employees are scheduled in a way that fully complies with the FLSA’s restrictions on their work hours. This protects both the wellbeing of the young workers and shields the company from legal risk. Proper training for managers on child labor laws is also advised.
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