If you didn’t hear, Rita’s Italian Ice located in Hialeah, Florida, was recently fined over $15,000 by the Department of Labor for allowing 14- and 15-year-olds to work outside of “legally permitted hours.” What are the legally permitted hours for minors to work, you ask? Great question. The rules are detailed and specific; some are federal and some are state. I will summarize them here.

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There are different rules for different age groups. For 14- and 15-year-olds, they are subject to the most detailed restrictions. Such youths cannot work:

  • More than 3 hours on a school day, including Friday;
  • More than 15 hours per week when school is in session (and not during school hours);
  • More than 8 hours per day when school is not in session;
  • More than 6 consecutive days;
  • More than 40 hours per week when school is not in session;
  • Before 7:00 a.m. or after 7:00 p.m. on any day, except from June 1 through Labor Day, when nighttime work hours are extended to 9:00 p.m.; and
  • More than 4 continuous hours without a minimum of 30-minutes for a meal period.