Child labor - Rhode Island

Summary of differences between federal and state regulations

The Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training, Workforce Regulation and Safety Division, Labor Standards Unit administers the child labor laws.

Work age

Youths must be:

• No age specified for agricultural or entertainment jobs
• 12 to deliver newspapers and other street trades
• 14 for jobs in business or industrial facilities
• 16 for jobs in factories or mechanical and manufacturing facilities
• 18 for all other jobs

Work hours

Youths under age 16 may work:

• 6 am to 7 pm (9 pm during school vacations)
• 5 am to 9 pm for males in street trades
• 8 hours/day, 40 hours/week

Youth 16 and older may work:

• 6 am to 11:30 pm (1:30 am on non-school nights)
• 9 hours/day, 48 hours/week, 5 days/week (with an 8-hour work-free interval between days)

Permits

For all youth under age 16, employers in business and industrial establishments must have work permits issued by local school officials.

Postings

Employers must post a summary of the child labor laws included in the state wage and hour poster.

State

Contact

Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training, Workforce Regulation and Safety Division, Labor Standards Unit

Regulations

Rhode Island's rules on employment of children can be found at Title 28, Chapter 28-3 of the Rhode Island 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.

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