My 15 year-old son would like to work this summer and beyond. What is the legal age for working in the U.S. and in Massachusetts and are there types of work he can and cannot do?
-- Mara, Wayland
When I was a boy, Mara, and complained about yard work, my father assured me that the laws relating to child labor were exactly whatever he said they were (and then he pointed me back to the yard). Just in case my father was exaggerating his role in the big scheme of things, I asked Attorney Timothy Stark of North Andover to help me with your question.
Attorney Stark informed me that your son can work in Massachusetts, as long as he obtains a work permit. He also suggested that you and our other readers might want to take a look at the Massachusetts Department of Labor's "Youth Employment" page at www.mass.gov/dos/youth/index.htm, a site that contains the answers to just about any child labor related question you can imagine as well as links for those who wish to apply for a work permit.
For the answer to the second part of your question, and to protect your son from illegal work practices, click on the "Guide for Working Teens" in the upper left corner of the Website. There you will find information about when your son may work (during the day and week), and how many hours he can work when school is in session and when it is not. You will also find an extensive list of the types of work your son cannot perform. For example, until he is sixteen, your son may not legally "work in mining," a fact that, I'm sure, is a great relief to you. Thank you for your question.
(Submitted by the Editor)