Is there a minimum age requirement for employment?

Yes, there is a minimum age requirement for employment in Washington. The Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) requires that minors must be 14 years old to work most jobs and 16 years old for jobs with more hazardous duties. All jobs must be approved by L&I and employers must keep records of minors’ work hours and certificate of age forms. In addition to the minimum age requirement, there are additional rules and restrictions for minors 14-17 years old. Minors 14-17 years old are not allowed to work more than 8 hours per day or 48 hours per week. The exceptions to this rule include break time, educational or recreational programs, or if they are employed as actors/performers. Minors 14-17 years old are also not allowed to work past 10pm on a school night, and they must have a 30-minute break after 5 hours of work. For jobs that have hazardous duties, anyone under 18 must have the work approved by a parent or guardian in order to work. In general, these restrictions are in place to ensure that minors are not overworked and are kept safe while they are employed. All employers must abide by these rules and should be aware of the minimum age requirement before hiring minors.

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Is there a minimum age requirement for employment?

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