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Summary of differences between federal and state regulations
The Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry, Bureau of Labor Law Compliance administers the child labor laws.
Work age
Youths must be:
- No age specified for domestic jobs in private homes
- 11 to deliver newspapers
- 12 to caddy golf (1 bag, 18-hole limit per day)
- 16 for most non-hazardous jobs
- 18 for all other jobs
Work hours
Youths under age 16 may work:
- 7 am to 7 pm (7 am to 9 pm from during school vacation, or 10 pm for certain employers)
- 8 hours/day, 40 hours/week (3 hours/day, 18 hours/week when school is in session)
Youth 16 and older (who have not graduated) may work:
- 6 am to 12 pm (1 am during school vacation)
- 10 hours/day, 48 hours/week, but the minor may reject a request to work more than 44 hours/week (28 hours/week when school is in session)
Youth 16 and older must receive 24 consecutive hours of rest in every seven-day period
Breaks
Youth under age 18 must be given a 30-minute break every 5 hours.
Permits
For all youth under age 18, employers must have an employment certificate, issued by local school officials. Certificate must be returned within 5 days of termination. Youth ages 7-18 must have special permits for entertainment jobs.
Postings
Employers must post a summary of the child labor laws and a list of employees under age 18, daily/weekly hours, starting and stopping times, and mealtimes.
State
Contact
Pennsylvania Bureau of Labor and Industries, Bureau of Labor Law Compliance
Regulations
Pennsylvania's Child Labor Law can be found at Title 43, Sections 41 through 71 of the Pennsylvania 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