For workplace safety and health, please call 800-321-6742; for mine safety and health, please call 800-746-1553; for Job Corps, please call 800-733-5627 and for Wage and Hour, please call 1-866-487-9243 (1 866-4-US-WAGE). This website is currently not being updated due to the suspension of Federal government services. The last update to the site was 10/1/2025. Updates to the site will start again when the Federal government resumes operations.
You may hire youth as workers, but there are certain considerations when employing minors. Federal child labor law generally prohibits you from employing minors under the age of 14 in nonagricultural occupations, restricts the hours and types of work that can be performed by minors under 16, and prohibits the employment of minors under the age of 18 in any hazardous occupation. Different child labor law standards apply to agricultural employment.
Detailed information on federal and state child labor laws is available on YouthRules.gov.
We are committed to helping you understand your responsibilities as an employer. Many questions about youth employment may be answered by using the following elaws (Employment Laws Assistance for Workers and Small Businesses) Advisor:
For additional assistance, please contact:
All discussions with us are free and confidential.
The elaws (Employment Laws Assistance for Workers and Small Businesses) Advisors are a set of online tools developed by the U.S. Department of Labor to help employees and employers understand their rights and responsibilities under federal employment laws.
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