How to Get a Work Permit for Minors

How to Get a Work Permit for MinorsHow to Get a Work Permit for MinorsWhat are the requirements for getting a work permit, also known as working papers, if youre a minor(someone undertheageof18)? Working papers are legal documents that certify a minor can be employed and are categorized into two typesemployment certificatesand age certificates. Employment certificates (example) include the minors age and proof of eligibility to work. An age certificate provides documentation that the minor meets the tiefpunkt age requirements to be hired. Documentation requirements for the employment of minors are established by each states department of labor. No federal requirements mandate that minors get working papers before starting employment, but some states require them. If they are required in your state, youll need to provide them to an employer before you can start work. However, federal law does set guidelines for when minors can work, as well as for what jobs they can do. Review the min imum age requirements, how to get a work permit, where to get working papers, and what information youll need to provide to get certification to work. What is the Minimum Age for Work? TheFair Labor Standards Act(FLSA) states that 14 is the minimum age for most (nonagricultural) work. Exceptions include jobs such as babysitting, chores, delivering newspapers, anda few others. There are alsolimits to the number of hours per week you can work based on your age. The FLSA also bans minors from certain occupations considered hazardous, such as coal mining, using balers and compactors, roofing work, operating certain power-driving machines, and more. Additionally, many states have their ownchild labor lawswith higher minimum ages than the FLSA. In these cases, the higher minimum age always applies. Consult yourstate department of laborfor more information about child labor laws in your area. Do I Need a Work Permit? Some states require work permits for those younger than 16, while others require them for anyone younger than 18. Some states dont require them at all. The best place to find out if you need working papers is your school guidance office. If you need working papers, the counselors can give you the form you will need to complete or tell you where to get it. How to Get Working Papers If you find out you need working papers, you may be able to get these from your school guidance office. You also can get them through your state department of labor by visiting the office, searching their website, or calling or emailing the office. This list ofState Labor Laws Employment/Age Certificatesexplains whether or not your state requires certification and if you can get that certification from your school, your state department of labor, or both. What Documentation is Required? Requirements vary from state to state, but in general, heres what you will need to get a work permit and to get it approved Obtain working papers/certificate application from you r school or state department of labor.Obtain a certificate of physical fitness from your doctor. You may need to have had a physical within the last year.Bring the completed application with proof of age (copy of birth certificate, a school record, school identification, drivers license, or another document that lists your age) to either your school or state department of labor.A parent or guardian probably will need to come with you to submit the papers and sign the application. They also may need to come to obtain the papers. Each certificate varies, but generally, you will be asked to give information such as your full name, date of birth, grade completed, and your parents/guardians names.Often, the certificate will expire after a certain period of time. For example, most are valid for about one year.If you misplace your working papers, you can request a duplicate copy from the office that issued it. Tips for Working Minors Learn about the labor laws and restrictionsthat appl y to you, given your age, the type of job youre seeking, and the geographic area in which youre working. For example, workers aged 14 or 15 are limited to 18 hours of work per week, per federal law,and all workers under the age of 18 are forbidden from working with hazardous chemicals.Be a savvy job seeker.There are a lot of scams out there and a lot of lousy employers. To avoid both, do your research before interviewing or committing to a job. See if there are complaints against the company with placessuchasthe Better Business Bureau. Talk to current and former employees to see if thecompany has a good reputation in your community. Above all, remember if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. No one makes thousands of dollars a week by stuffing envelopes or assembling kits, to name a few examples of commonjob scams. Be realistic about time commitments.Regardless of your plans after graduation, your first responsibility as a young worker is to your schoolwork. Dont take on m ore work than you can reasonably balance with your commitment to school. Its unlikely that your part-time job in high school will turn into your full-time career after graduation. So, dont endanger your grades by overcommitting to work.