Michigan child labor laws set forth the rules and limitations regarding the days and time children under the age of 18 years old may work in Michigan. They also clarify and limit the types of work children under the age of 14 and youth who are 14, 15, 16, and 17 year olds may work. It is also important to remember that businesses and youth workers must comply with the federal child labor laws set forth in the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). Below is information about Michigan child labor law rules and limitations.
Table Of ContentsUnder Michigan child labor laws, youth must be 14-years-old or older to get a job and work in Michigan with a few exceptions.
There are a few exceptions for children under the age 14. The exemptions for all children include:
Michigan child labor laws do not limit the days of the week youth may work in Michigan. However, Michigan prohibits a youth from working more than 6 days in a workweek.
The times during a day a minor may work in Michigan varies based on 1) whether they are under 16 year old or not, and 2) whether the work will be during school weeks or non-school weeks. MI Employment Youth Standards Act
For youth that are 16-years-old and 17-years-old, Michigan child labor laws restrict the times during the day in which they work depending on whether the will be working before a school day. On days before school days, 16- and 17-year-olds can work from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. On days before non-school days, 16- and 17-year-olds can work from 6 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. Days before non-school days include Fridays, Saturdays, school vacation periods, and periods when the minor is not regularly enrolled in school.
For youth that are 14-years-old and 15-years old, Michigan child labor laws restrict the times during the day in which they work to times during 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.
| Age | Days before School Days | Days before Non-School Days (includes Fridays and Saturdays) |
|---|---|---|
| What times can a 14-year-old work? | 7 a.m. to 9 p.m | 7 a.m. to 9 p.m |
| What times can a 15-year-old work? | 7 a.m. to 9 p.m | 7 a.m. to 9 p.m |
| What times can a 16-year-old work? | 6 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. | 6 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. |
| What times can a 17-year-old work? | 6 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. | 6 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. |
In addition to Michigan’s child labor laws, the federal FLSA also has rules governing the times teens may work each day. In some situations, the federal rules may be more restrictive. When federal rules are more restrictive, employers and youth in Michigan must comply with those time restriction. The FLSA restricts the times during the day in which 14 and 15-year-olds may work depending whether the times are during school weeks, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., or non-school weeks, 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.
| Age | School Weeks (Labor Day to June 1) | Non-School Weeks (June 1 to Labor Day) |
|---|---|---|
| What times can a 14-year-old work? | 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. | 7 a.m. until 9 p.m. |
| What times can a 15-year-old work? | 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. | 7 a.m. until 9 p.m. |
| What times can a 16-year-old work? | No restriction | No restriction |
| What times can a 17-year-old work? | No restriction | No restriction |
Under Michigan child labor laws, minors can only work an average of 8 hours per week in a workweek and no more than 10 hours in a single day.
| Age | Average Hours Worked Each Day in a Workweek | Max Hours Worked in One Day |
|---|---|---|
| How many hours can a 14-year-old work each day? | 8 | 10 |
| How many hours can a 15-year-old work each day? | 8 | 10 |
| How many hours can a 16-year-old work each day? | 8 | 10 |
| How many hours can a 17-year-old work each day? | 8 | 10 |
Federal child labor laws have more strict rules than Michigan regarding the number of hours 14 and 15 year olds can work in a work day. Businesses and teens must comply with the stricter rule for school days set forth by the federal FLSA.
| Age | Max Hours Work Each Day (School days) | Max Hours Work Each Day (Non-school days) |
|---|---|---|
| How many hours can a 14-year-old work each day? | 3 | 8 |
| How many hours can a 15-year-old work each day? | 3 | 8 |
| How many hours can a 16-year-old work each day? | No restriction | No restriction |
| How many hours can a 17-year-old work each day? | No restriction | No restriction |
Under Michigan child labor laws, minors who are 14-years-old and 15-years-old may work no more than 48 hours in a workweek; however, are 14-years-old and 15-years-old are also limited to working no more the 48 hours in a workweek when combining school time and work time.
Under Michigan child labor laws, minors who are 16 and 17 year olds, except in certain farming operations, may work no more the 24 hours when they are a student and school is in session. If the 16 or 17 year old is no longer a student or school is not in session, the teen may work up to 48 hours in a workweek.
| Age – Max Hours Worked Each Week | School Weeks (Labor Day to June 1) | Non-School Weeks (June 1 to Labor Day) |
|---|---|---|
| How many hours can a 14-year-old work each week? | 48 with school and work combined | 48 |
| How many hours can a 15-year-old work each week? | 48 with school and work combined | 48 |
| How many hours can a 16-year-old work each week? | 24 | 48 |
| How many hours can a 17-year-old work each week? | 24 | 48 |
Also, under federal child labor laws, however, children that are 14-years-old and 15-years-old may work no more than 24 hours in a workweek during school weeks and 48 hours during non-school weeks.
| Age – Max Hours Worked Each Week | School Weeks (Labor Day to June 1) | Non-School Weeks (June 1 to Labor Day) |
|---|---|---|
| How many hours can a 14-year-old work each week? | 18 | 40 |
| How many hours can a 15-year-old work each week? | 18 | 40 |
| How many hours can a 16-year-old work each week? | No restriction | No restriction |
| How many hours can a 17-year-old work each week? | No restriction | No restriction |
When a 16- or 17-year-old works in certain farming operations involved in the production of seed or in agricultural processing, different time and day work rules may apply in Michigan.
For eligible minors, they may work:
Michigan child labor laws allows youth who are 16 and 17 years old request a deviation from the times the youth may be able to work in workday. If granted, the deviation would permit the 16 or 17 year old to work before 6 a.m. or after 10:30 p.m. or 11:30 p.m. MI Youth Employment Standards Act FAQs
Under the Michigan child labor laws and/or the FLSA child labor laws, employees under 18 years old may not work in jobs that are considered hazardous. Here is a list of some occupations Michigan has found to be hazardous. MI Youth Employment Standards Act FAQs
| Contact with hazardous substances, chemicals, explosives, or radioactive substances | Jobs using woodworking machinery | Work on construction sites, excavation sites, bridges, streets, or highways |
| Driving and working as an outside helper (pizza delivery, etc.) | Ladders and scaffolding for those less than 16 years of age | Slaughtering, butchering, cutting meat or using meat slicers, cleavers, or boning knives |
| Jobs in the logging and sawmill industry | Brazing, welding, soldering, or heat treating for those less than 16 years of age | Occupations involving power driven equipment, tools, saws, or machinery (bakery machines, paper product machines, and metal-forming, punching, and shearing machines) |
Here is a list of jobs the FLSA considers hazardous.
| In, about or in conjunction with any public messenger or deliver service, bowling alley, pool room, billiard room, skating rink (except an ice skating rink owned and operated by a school or unit of local government); exhibition park or place of amusement, garage or as a bell boy in any hotel or rooming house or about or in connection with power-driver machinery. | In the operation of machinery used in the cold rolling of heavy metal stock, or in the operation of power-driven punching, shearing, stamping or meta [late pending machines | In oil refineries, gasoline blending plants or pumping stations on oil transmission lines | In logging operations |
| In the oiling, cleaning or wiling of machinery or shafting | In or about sawmills or lath, shingle or cooperage stock mills | In operation of laundry, dry cleaning or dying machinery | In public and private utilities and related services |
| In or about any mine or quarry | In the operation of power driven woodworking machines or off bearing from circular saws | In occupations involving exposure to radioactive substances | In operations in or in connection with slaughtering, meat packing, poultry processing and fish and seafood processing |
| In stone cutting or polishing | In the operation of freight elevators or hoisting machines and cranes | In or about any filling station or service station | In operations which involve working on an elevated surface, with or without use of equipment, including but not limited to ladders and scaffolds |
| In or about any hazardous factory work | In spray painting or in occupations involving exposure to lead or its compounds or to dangerous or poisonous dyes or chemicals | In construction work, including demolition and repair | In security positions or any occupation that requires the use or carrying of a firearm or other weapon |
| In or about any plant manufacturing explosives or articles containing explosive components, in the use of transportation of same | In any place or establishment in which intoxicating alcoholic liquors are served or sold for consumption on the premises, or in which such liquors are manufactured or bottled; except as follows: | In roofing operations | In occupations which involve the handling or storage of blood, blood products, body fluids or body tissue |
| In or about plants manufacturing iron or steel, ore reduction works, smelters, foundries, forging shops, hot rolling mills or any place in which the heating melting or heat treating of metals is carried on | – busboy and kitchen employment, not otherwise prohibited, when in connection with the service of meals at any private club, fraternal organization or veteran’s organization shall not be prohibited by this subsection; – this subsection 13 does not apply to employment that is performed on property owned or operated by a park district, as defined in subsection (a) of Section 1-3 of the Park District Code, if the employment is not otherwise prohibited by law; | In excavating operations |
Michigan child labor laws require teens to a have work permit to work in Michigan. To obtain a work permit, MI Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity recommends that a youth contact their school or school district who has the authority to issued the permit. MI Employment Youth Standards Act
Before the issuing officer of the school or school district issues the work permit, the teen must present:
An employer may request an minor to provide an age certificate to before they will hire the minor. The age certificate helps the employer ensure the minor is at least 14 years old. A teen may obtain an age certificate by contacting their school or the school superintendent of the district or county in which the applicant resides who may issue the certificate.
In Michigan, employers are required to provide minors with a unpaid meal period lasting 30 minutes or more if the minor works 5 consecutive hours in a shift. MI Youth Employment Standards Act FAQs