Fall is the season when the leaves change color, children go back to school and teens look for after-school jobs. The Alabama Department of Labor wants to remind every employer that special regulations regarding the employment of anyone under the age of 19 went into effect on the first day of school.
Alabama has experienced a spike in violations of child labor laws in the past 6 months. Employers who violate the child labor laws will be charged with a misdemeanor.
In one very high-profile case in recent years, the general manager of a Montgomery Visionland franchise pled guilty to three counts of violating the stat’s child labor law. In that case, three young people under the age of 16 worked past 9 pm. The state laws require that youths aged 14 and 15 finish work by 7 pm during the school year and 9 pm during the summer months, when school is not in session.
State child labor laws are strictly enforced by the Alabama Department of Labor. Jim Bennett, Commissioner of Labor, says that he department is vigilant in the area of protecting children. “Our department will make every effort to ensure Alabama’s teenagers have the proper time for their schooling as mandated by state law.”
Young people who are 14 or 15 years old cannot work during the school hours of 8 am to 3pm, Monday through Friday in Alabama. They can work after school for 3 hours only, but must be finished by 7 pm. On Saturday and Sunday they can work up to 8 hours per day. Youths this age may not work more than 18 hours total in any week. Youths in this age group are severely restricted in the jobs that they can legally hold. In general, they are allowed only to work in a retail establishment or in an office.
The Alabama child labor laws also apply to young people who are 16, 17 or 18 years old and enrolled in high school. Teens in this age group may not work past 10 pm on any night that precedes a school day (usually Sunday through Thursday.) There are no hour restrictions in Alabama for young people 16 or older who are not enrolled in high school.
Alabama employers must obtain work permits for each employee under the age of 18. Work permits are issued at the Board of Education in each city and county, and at most public high schools. Many private schools also issue work permits.
During the summer, or at other times when school is not in session, young people aged 14 or 15 years old can work until 9 pm. They may work up to 8 hours per day and up to 40 hours per week. Again, the employment is generally limited to a retail establishment, office or another similar environment that the Department of Labor deems safe.
During the summer, young people who are 16 or 17 years of age can work more than 40 hours per week. However, the employer must still have a work permit on file for each minor employee.
State law, as well as federal laws, prohibit young people from working in a number of occupations considered hazardous. These include construction work, any job using power saws or roofing work. Young people are also prohibited from driving a forklift at work. They are not allowed to hold any job that involves driving an automobile or truck.
State child labor laws vary greatly, with Alabama’s being some of the most restrictive. In Alabama, a young person under the age of 16 cannot work more than 3 hours on a school day, or 18 hours per week while school is in session. In both Texas and Arkansas, the youngster can work up to 8 hours per school day and up to 48 hours per week. In Idaho, a 15 year old can work up to 54 hours per week, in Wyoming, up to 56 hours.
