How many hours can a minor work in Massachusetts?

Question

Accepted Answer

The amount of hours that a minor can work in Massachusetts depends on the age of the minor and the type of work they are performing. All minors working in Massachusetts, regardless of age, however, may not work past 8 pm without direct, on-site adult supervision (except when working at kiosks in the common areas of some malls).

Overall, minors under 15 years old or younger may only work 3 hours a day when school is in session, while minors 16 years of age and older may work 8 hours a day when school is in session.

The Massachusetts Department of Labor has outlined the following restrictions when it comes to minors working during a school season and when working during a school break.

Massachusetts minors between the ages of 14 to 15 years old can work the following:

No more than 3 hours on a school day
8 hours on a non-school day
More than 3 hours on any school day
18 hours in a school week
40 hours in a non-school week
At night, from 7 pm to 7 am
Exception: In summer (July 1 - Labor Day), may work until 9 pm
More than 18 hours during any week when school is in session
More than 8 hours on any weekend or holiday
Exception: For school-approved career or experience-building jobs, students may be allowed to work during the school day, up to 23 hours a week.

Massachusetts minors between the ages of 16 and 17 years old can work the following:

May not work more than 8 hours in a day, 40 hours a week, or 6 days in a row.
At night, from 10 pm to 6 am (or past 10:15 if the employer stops serving customers at 10 pm)
More than 9 hours per day
More than 48 hours per week
More than 6 days per week
Exception: On non-school nights, may work until 11:30 pm or until midnight, if working at a restaurant or racetrack

At the end of the day there are some exceptions to these rules, so minors should check with their employer or the Massachusetts Department of Labor Standards for more details.