Pennsylvania ABSTRACT OF THE CHILD LABOR LAW Labor Law Poster

[laborlaw]

This summary is for general information and is not to be considered in the same light as official statements contained in the Law or its regulations.

MINIMUM AGE: Minors under 14 years of age may not be employed or permitted to work in any occupation, except children employed on farms or in domestic service in private homes. No minor under 14 years of age may be employed on a farm by a person other than the farmer. Under certain restrictions, caddies may be employed at the age of 12, news carriers at 11 years of age, and juvenile performers in the entertainment field at the age of 7. Minors and infants may be in the cast of a motion picture if special permit is obtained.
EMPLOYMENT CERTIFICATES: No person under the age of 18* shall be employed without a general or vacation employment certificate. The employment certificates are issued by school authorities and, except for the transferable work permit, must be kept on file.
Special performance permits are required for minors in theatrical and other performances at ages and hours permitted by Law. Applications may be obtained from the offices listed on the reverse side of this abstract.
A transferable work permit may be issued to 16 and 17 year olds. Obtain these through your local school district. A minor issued a transferable work permit is not required to obtain a new permit or certificate each time he/she changes employers; however, the employer is required to notify the issuing school district in writing within five days when a minor begins or terminates employment. Additionally, the employer must keep detailed records of the minors at the work site. A photocopy of the transferable work permit may be used as a record, provided that the employer records the occupation in which the minor is engaged on such photocopy.
RECORD KEEPING: Employers are required to maintain true and accurate schedules for each minor employed.
HOURS OF EMPLOYMENT-AGES 16 & 17
HOURS OF EMPLOYMENT
NIGHT WORK

During School Term: Maximum 28 hours per school week (Monday through Friday) if enrolled in regular day school. Plus 8 additional hours on Saturday and 8 additional hours on Sunday. However, maximum daily hours cannot exceed 8 hours per day.
During Summer Vacations: Maximum 8 hours per day, 44 hours per week.

During School Term: Students may not work after midnight (Sunday through Thursday) or before 6 AM during the entire week. (Exception: Students may work the night preceding a school holiday occurring during the school year until 1 AM the next morning.) Students may work Friday night until 1 AM Saturday morning and on Saturday night until 1AM Sunday morning.
During Summer Vacations: No night work limit for students. No night work limit at any time for minors legally excused from school attendance.

*EXCEPTION: A) 17 year olds have graduated from high school or who have attained their academic potential as determined by the Chief School Administrator, may be treated for purposes of the Child Labor Law as 18 years of age.
B) Special rules apply to 16 and 17 year olds employed during the summer by summer resident camp or a conference or a retreat operated by a religious or scout organization.
AT ANY TIME: MAXIMUM EMPLOYMENT 6 DAYS PER WEEK, 30 MINUTE MEAL PERIOD REQUIRED ON OR BEFORE 5 CONSECUTIVE HOURS OF WORK.
PENALTY: Any person, agent or manager for any person violating or permitting any violation of the Child Labor Law shall upon conviction, be subject to a fine of not less than $200 nor more than $400 for the first offense and not less than $750 nor more than $1500 for any subsequent offense or imprisonment for 10 days or both.
Under Workers’ Compensation Law, fifty percent additional compensation shall be paid to any minor injured while illegally employed, all of which shall be paid by the employer.
OCCUPATIONS PROHIBITED - See Below
NOTE THE FOLLOWING:
Motor Vehicle Minors 16 and over after July 1, 1997 are permitted to operate a single vehicle not in excess of 30,000 pounds registered gross weight or any such vehicle towing
Code: a trailer not in excess of 10,000 pounds gross weight.

Sec. 493(13) Under 16, employed by or in connection with any establishment where alcoholic liquors are distilled, rectified, compounded, brewed, manufactured, bottled, sold or Liquor Code: dispensed, provided that minors from age 16 may be employed on licensed premises as food waitresses or waiters and busboys/girls.

At age 18, such persons may serve and handle alcoholic liquors where sold or dispensed.

PROHIBITED OCCUPATIONS FOR MINORS UNDER 18

BOATS: Pilot, fireman or engineer on any boat or vessel. - BRICKS: Working on horizontal or vertical pug mills. - CRANE OPERATORS: Cranes and hoists.
ELECTRICAL WORK: All electrical wiring*. Installing, removing and testing electric meters*. - ELEVATORS: Operators or managers of passenger or freight elevators. Hoisting or
lifting machinery. - EXCAVATING: Within tunnels or shafts and trenches more than four feet in depth*. - ES: Where es are manufactured, handled or stored.
MACHINERY: Cleaning or oiling machinery in motion. Operating or assisting in the operation of the following: Emery wheels**, metal plate bending machine*, mixing machine in
bakeries*, punch press**, wire-stitching machines*, woodworking machinery (power driven)*. - MEAT GRINDERS: Operation of power driven food chopping, meat grinding, slicing or processing machines*. - METAL INDUSTRIES: Work in rolling mills*, handling bull ladles and around furnaces. - MINES: Dangerous occupations in or around any mine.
MOTION PICTURES: Projectionist. - PAINT, ACIDS, AND POISONS: In any capacity in the manufacture of paint, color or white-lead, poisonous dyes, or compositions using
dangerous lead or acids. - PITS AND QUARRIES: Most occupations. - POOL AND BILLIARD ROOMS: Any occupation. - PRINTING INDUSTRY: Operate power driven paper cutters or circular saws*. - RADIOACTIVE SUBSTANCES: In all occupations involving exposure to radioactive substances***, or ionizing radiation***.
RAILROADS AND RAILWAYS: Section hand, track repairing, gate tending, switch-tending, brakeman, fireman, engineer, motorman, or conductor. - ROOFING: All occupations*.
RIVETS: Heating and passing rivets, except under special conditions. - SPRAY COATING: Spray coating with substances containing lead, benzol, or ground siliceous material*.
SLAUGHTERING AND MEAT PACKING: Most occupations. - TANNERIES: Tanning process. - WELDING: Acetylene or electric welding*. - WRECKING AND DEMOLITION: All occupations.

*EXCEPT APPRENTICES, STUDENT LEARNERS AND GRADUATES OF AN APPROVED VOCATIONAL. TECHNICAL OR INDUSTRIAL EDUCATION CURRICULUM WHICH
PREPARED THEM FOR EMPLOYMENT IN THE SPECIFIC OCCUPATION.
**EXCEPT APPRENTICES, STUDENT LEARNERS, LABORATORY STUDENT AIDES AND GRADUATES OF AN APPROVED VOCATIONAL, TECHNICAL OR INDUSTRIAL
EDUCATION CURRICULUM WHICH PREPARED THEM FOR EMPLOYMENT IN THE SPECIFIC OCCUPATION.
***EXCEPT LABORATORY STUDENT AIDES AND GRADUATES OF AN APPROVED VOCATIONAL, TECHNICAL OR INDUSTRIAL EDUCATION CURRICULUM WHICH
PREPARED THEM FOR EMPLOYMENT IN THE SPECIFIC OCCUPATION.
UNDER 16
BOATS: Working on any boat engaged in transportation of passengers or merchandise. - BOWLING CENTERS: In any capacity except snack bar attendants, control desk clerks, and scorer attendants. - BUILDING TRADES: Heavy work. - COAL DREDGES: Any work on coal dredges. - HEATING AND PASSING RIVETS: In any capacity. - HIGHWAYS: Sections of the highways that are open to the public for vehicular travel. - INDUSTRIAL HOMEWORK: May not manufacture at home any materials or articles under a contract from a
manufacturer or contractor. - MANUFACTURING: Any manufacturing or mechanical process. - MINES: In any capacity. - POOL AND BILLIARD ROOMS: In any capacity.
RAILROADS: In any capacity. - SCAFFOLDING: On scaffolding and ladders. - STRIKES OR LOCKOUTS: Unless legally certified to work before strike or lockout. - TUNNELS: In any capacity. - WINDOW CLEANERS: Above ground level.
Address inquiries, complaints or requests for additional copies of this poster to one of the officers of the Pennsylvania Bureau of Labor Law Compliance: