Child labor - Maine

Summary of differences between federal and state regulations

The Maine Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division administers the child labor laws.

Work age

Youths must be:

• None specified to work for parents or for farm work (planting, cultivating, or harvesting field crops)
• 14 for other farm work and most non-hazardous jobs
• 16 for most jobs involving machine operation
• Youth ages 14 to 16 may not work at jobs requiring them to be away from home overnight
• 17 for jobs involving alcoholic beverages
• 18 to work in all jobs

Work hours

Youths under 16 may work:

• 7 am to 7 pm (9 pm during summer vacation)
• 8 hours/day, 40 hours/week (3 hours/day, 6 consecutive days, 18 hours/week when school is in session)

Youth 16-18 may work:

• 5 am to 12 am on non-school nights (7 am to 10 pm on school nights, except during school hours for age 17 and under)
• 10 hours/day, 50 hours/week (4 hours/day, 20 hours/week when school is in session)
• 8 hours/day on days before non-school days
• 28 hours/week with multiple school closings
• No more than 6 consecutive days

No restrictions for high school graduates

Permits

Youth under 16 must have work permits issued by local school officials, except farm and domestic labor. Employer must keep record of daily hours for employees under 18.

State

Contact

Maine Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Standards

Regulations

The Maine child labor requirements can be found Title 26, Chapter 7, Subchapter IV, Sections 702 and 771 through 785 of the Maine Revised Statutes.

Website: www.mainelegislature.org/legis/Statutes/26/title26ch7sec0.html

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