Child labor

Children have rights.

Child working in construction sites

Questions?
We’re here to help.

We are committed to helping you understand your rights as a worker. Many questions about wage rights may be answered by using the following elaws (Employment Laws Assistance for Workers and Small Businesses) Advisors:

For additional assistance, please contact:

OSHA at 1-800-321-6742

All discussions between OSHA and employees or their representatives are free and confidential. Safety and health complaints from employees or their representatives are taken seriously by OSHA, and OSHA will keep their information confidential.

Federal child labor law generally prohibits the employment of minors in nonagricultural occupations under the age of 14, restricts the hours and types of work that minors can perform under 16, and prohibits the employment of minors under the age of 18 in any hazardous occupation. Different child labor law standards apply to agricultural employment. Young workers have rights in the workplace, as outlined in OSHA’s videos in English and Spanish.

Detailed information on federal and state child labor laws is available on YouthRules.gov.

Additional resources

Need more information?

The elaws (Employment Laws Assistance for Workers and Small Businesses) Advisors are a set of online tools developed by the U.S. Department of Labor to help employees and employers understand their rights and responsibilities under Federal employment laws.