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Summary of differences between federal and state regulations
The Missouri Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, Division of Labor Standards, Wage and Hour Section administers the child labor laws.
Work age
Youths must be:
- 12 for baby sitting, delivering newspapers, and, with parental consent, occasional yard work in private home
- 14 for newspaper carrier, agricultural work, and sales (door-to-door sales prohibited for youth under 16 unless employer gets written permission from the Director of the Division of Labor Standards)
- 16 for factory work, mining, machinery, street occupations, and other hazardous jobs
- 17 for hazardous jobs
- 18 for jobs involving carrier driving, cleaning mills, and machine operation
- 21 for selling liquor
Work hours
Youths 14 or older may work:
- 7 am to 9 pm (10:30 pm from June 1 through Labor Day at regional fair with parental consent)
- 8 hours/day, 6 days/week, 40 hours/week (3 hours/day on school days)
Missouri has no work restrictions for youth 16 and older.
Breaks
Youth entertainers must be given a 30-minute break every 5-1/2 hours, a 15-minute rest break every 2 hours, and a 12-hour rest period at the end of each day.
Permits
Youth under 16 must have work certificates and permits, issued by local school officials. Permit must list the youth’s age, sex, place and date of birth, address, parent’s names and residence, name and address of employer, and type of job. Certificates must be returned to the issuer at termination. Performers must have a work permit.
Postings
Employers must post a list of all employees under 16.
State
Contact
Missouri Department of Labor and Industry, Division of Labor Standards, Wage and Hour Section
Regulations
The Missouri child labor requirements can be found in Chapter 294, Sections 294.005 through 294.150 of the Missouri Revised Statutes.
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.
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