From MN DOLI: Ensure compliance with wage and hour laws when hiring teens for summer positions

As you hire teens for summer positions, it’s crucial to ensure compliance with wage and hour laws. Join us on May 21 for a free webinar about child labor laws and tips to keep teen workers safe. Here’s an overview of some topics that will be reviewed during the webinar.

Age, hours restrictions
In Minnesota, teens can start working at 14 years of age except as a newspaper carrier (at least 11), in agriculture (at least 12 and with parent consent), as an actor/model or a youth athletic program referee (at least 11 and with parent consent).

Minors under 16 can’t work before 7 a.m. or after 9 p.m., over 40 hours a week or more than eight hours in a day. They also can’t work during school hours unless they have permission from the school district superintendent and federal law.

Prohibited work for workers under 18 years of age
Teens under 18 can’t work with certain hazardous materials, operations or machines, such as construction projects, high window washing or painting or use power-driven machines.

They also can’t work with alcohol in places where it’s consumed, with some exceptions. Also, teens under 16 can’t do certain types of work.

Child labor webinar, register now
Learn more about child labor laws at a webinar on May 21, from 10-11 a.m. Register at dli.mn.gov/events.

New overtime rule for workers
The U.S. Department of Labor has a new overtime regulation that affects employers in Minnesota.

Under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), some workers are specifically exempt from the FLSA’s minimum wage and overtime protections, including bona fide executive, administrative or professional employees. This exemption applies when:

  1. an employee is paid a salary;
  2. the salary is not less than a minimum salary threshold amount; and
  3. the employee primarily performs executive, administrative or professional duties.

The department’s final rule, which will go into effect on July 1, 2024, will increase the standard salary level that helps define and delimit which salaried workers are entitled to overtime pay protections under the FLSA. Learn more at dol.gov/OT.

Wage and Hour questions
The Department of Labor and Industry’s Labor Standards Division frequently answers wage and hour questions and aims to protect the rights of workers and educate employers and employees about the rights and responsibilities under Minnesota employment laws.

To help employers and employees understand their rights and responsibilities under these laws, we will feature some of these questions monthly.

Question of the month
Does the earned sick and safe time (ESST) law apply to employees living in Minnesota whose employer is based out of state?

To be eligible for ESST, the employer must anticipate that the employee will work at least 80 hours in Minnesota in a year. An employer based in another state may still have to provide ESST for their employees who work in Minnesota.

Contact us
Contact us with wage and hour questions at 651-284-5075 or [email protected]. Email [email protected] with questions about earned sick and safe time.


Wage and Hour Bulletin archive
Find past editions of The Wage and Hour Bulletin at dli.mn.gov/business/employment-practices/minnesota-wage-and-hour-bulletin.

Questions?
Labor Standards serves the people of Minnesota by providing
information about the state’s wage, hour and employment laws.

Phone: 651-284-5075 or 800-342-5354
Email: [email protected]
Website: dli.mn.gov/laborlaw