Child Labor Law Information for Parents and Employers

• How old does a child have to be in order to work?

  Generally, children must be at least 14 years of age in order to work. However, there are some exceptions to this. Exceptions include but are not limited to children employed by their parents in non-hazardous occupations, household chores, paper routes, farm work and child actors/actresses.

• Are there any exceptions to the age requirement?

  Yes. Exceptions include but are not limited to: children employed by their parents, household chores, paper routes, farm work and child actors/actresses.

• Is a work permit required?

  The state of Kansas requires work permits for children under the age of 16 who are not enrolled in or attending secondary school.

• What hours can children work?

  This depends on the child's age. Under the Fair Labor Standards Act, children under 16 can work between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m., except from June 1 through Labor Day, when evening hours are extended to 9 p.m. If the employer is not covered by the Fair Labor Standards Act, the hours are 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. when school is in session. Most employers are covered by the Fair Labor Standards Act.

• How many hours can children work?

  This also depends on the child's age. Children under 16 can work up to three hours on a school day, 18 hours in a school week, 8 hours on a non-school day, 40 hours on a non-school week. If the employer is not covered by the Fair Labor Standards Act, the children under 16 may not work more than eight hours in one day, nor more than 40 hours in one week.