We want to "hire" two teenagers (16 years) to do some GPS of our sewer lines/water lines. They will not be on our payroll but we will be paying them via use of a W-9 form...Per New Hampshire labor laws can we 'hire' these boys to do this, walking on the streets, etc. I know one year we had to let a teenager go since he was painting road signs (he was on our summer payroll) and his school notified the state when they found out what he was doing. The state said they could not do that since they considered paint a 'hazard chemical'.

Thank you

How do you think they aren't going to be employees? :eek: Are they in this business? Do you tell them what to do, when to do it, how to do it? That's an employee.

As to what a 16-year-old can and cannot do, see here:
http://www.labor.state.nh.us/youth_employment.asp

Chances are if it is dangerous, then no, you can't. I'd be very cautious hiring a child to perform any work that involved walking on roads that were not closed to traffic. Teenagers just don't always show the best judgement and it is way too easy for accidents to happen.

I questioned this when the kids came in and handed me the w-9s, which is for "subcontractors" but one of my bosses said there was no problem. We have a form that we need permission from 16 years old to work and I didn't even get that since I was told "they are not on our payroll", we are paying them for a service.

I guess I need to really confront the other boss when he comes in, to me this seems not to be on the up and up and I wanted to have good backup before I really make a stand....I was hired to do a job and to protect this company's interest but on occasion I do wonder. Of course I already have one "I told ya so" dance when I proved something from this site.

Thank you and I will check out the site you attached, hopefully this will give more information than the form I have listing do's and don'ts

Just as an aside, if you are doing this for the new stormwater requirements of states and government entities, are you sure you want this work to be done by 16 year olds??

We are in the process of having someont do our stormwater checking to comply with state regs and believe me, we hired someone with some background.

As good as a 16 year old might be, (and how inexpensive) consider the other side if you have to go back and re do large portions or if you have something not caught because a 16 year old did your inspections.

I do understand, and yes it does scare me when my one boss "does favors' and lets a teenager do something, supossidely they are just locating and marking that down, but I fully intend to have the boss get the work permission forms done at least, no matter how he classifies what they are doing.