Child labor - Kentucky

Summary of differences between federal and state regulations

The Kentucky Department of Labor, Employment Standards Division administers the child labor laws.

Work age

Youths must be:

• None specified to work for parents, keep house in private homes, deliver newspapers, and perform lawn care, farm work, or entertainment
• 11 to be employed as a golf caddy
• 14 for all other non-hazardous jobs
• 18 to work in all jobs (20 to work in a job involving serving alcoholic beverages)

Work hours

Youths under 16 may work:

• 7 am to 7 pm on school nights (9 pm from June 1 through Labor Day)
• 8 hours/day, 40 hours/week (3 hours/day, 18 hours/week when school is in session)

Youth 16-18 may work:

• 6 am to 10:30 pm on school nights (or until 11 pm with parental permission); 1 am on non-school nights
• 8 hours/day on non-school days; 6 hours/day on school days (6.5 hours with parental permission)
• 30 hours/week when school is in session (40 hours with written parental permission and 2.0 GPA)

Breaks

Youths must be given a 30-minute break every five hours.

Permits

Youth under 18 must have proof of age, address, starting and quitting time, and meal times specified.

Postings

Notice of maximum hours allowed daily, abstract of child labor law, and list of prohibited occupations.

State

Contact

Kentucky Labor Cabinet Division of Employment Standards Apprenticeship and Training

Regulations

The Kentucky child labor laws can be found in the:

Kentucky Revised Statutes, Title 27, Chapter 339.

Kentucky Administrative Regulations at Title 803, Chapter 1; 803 KAR 1:100

Federal

Contact

The Department of Labor is the sole federal agency that monitors child labor and enforces child labor laws. Enforcement of the Fair Labor Standard Act's child labor provisions is handled by the Wage and Hour Division of the Department’s Employment Standards Administration.

Department of Labor

Regulations

U.S. child labor regulations can be found in CFR 29:

Part 570 Child Labor Regulations, Orders and Statements of Interpretation

Part 575 Waiver of Child Labor Provisions for Agricultural Employment of 10 and 11 Year Old Minors In Hand Harvesting of Short Season Crops

Part 579 Child Labor Violations – Civil Money Penalties