Where can you work as a teen in Texas? What the law says
As the holidays approach, teens may be on the lookout for a job to make some money of their own. In Texas, they can start as young as 14 years old.
Anyone under the age of 18 is considered a minor. Minors must make at least the federal minimum wage — $7.25 an hour.
What are the laws surrounding minors in the workforce?
What Texas law says about children who work
In Texas, it is illegal to hire a child under the age of 14 years old (unless under special circumstances).
Minors who do work are not allowed to be scheduled for more than eight hours a day, and 48 hours in a week. And for children who are enrolled in school, they are not allowed to work between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. on school nights. On weekends and in summer recess, children are allowed to work until midnight.
Where can minors work?
According to the Texas Workforce Commission, 14- to 15-year-olds are allowed to work in retail, food service or gasoline stations in the following capacities:
Office or clerical work
Artistry or intellectually creative work
Cooking with electric or gas grills that don’t involve cooking over an open flame
Cooking with with deep fat fryers that are “equipped with and utilize devices that automatically lower and raise the baskets into and out of the oil or grease”
Cashier or advertising
Price marking and shelving inventory
Carrying out customer orders
Errands and deliveries
Housekeeping/clean-up work
Kitchen work/food service
Cleaning kitchen equipment/cleaning food
Loading and unloading on vehicles
Lifeguarding (15 years old and up, with proper training)
Car/truck washing or gas pumping
What are the child labor laws?
Under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act, children who are 14 to 15 years oldmay not:
Work during school hours
Work more than three hours on a school day, or 18 hours during a school week
A 16 or 17-year-old child doesn’t have restrictions on the number of hours or times of day they may work, according to the FLSA.
Penalties for those who do not follow child labor laws
If someone does not obey child labor laws, they can face a Class B misdemeanor– a fine of up to $2,000 and up to 180 days in jail. If one makes a child solicit, they can face a Class A misdemeanor which can be a fine of up to $4,000 and up to a year in jail.
“In addition to the criminal penalty noted above, if an employer violates the provisions of this Act, the Commission may assess an administrative penalty against that employer in an amount not to exceed $10,000,” the TWC says.