Youth Employment

Washington state employers may hire minors for many types of jobs in the hospitality industry. You must follow specific requirements and restrictions for any worker under 18 years of age.

The minimum legal age to work in Washington state is 14 years old. The Washington Hospitality Association advises our members to avoid hiring employees under the age of 16. Therefore, this section of the toolkit will provide guidance for 16- and 17-year-old employees. Please visit the L&I website for guidance on 14- and 15-year-old employees.

Before hiring minors in your workplace, you must:

1. Get a minor work permit endorsement on your business license. Apply with the Department of Revenue (DOR) for a minor work permit. L&I reviews all minor work permit requests. Once approved, DOR will issue a new business license with your endorsement. You must post this new business license once you receive it and renew it with DOR every year. A minor work permit is required even if the only minors working for your company are family members.
2. Get a completed parent/school or summer authorization form. Before a minor can begin working, you must get their parent or legal guardian and their school (when in session) to complete the appropriate authorization form below. Keep a copy of these forms for your files.

• When school is in session – complete the Parent/School Authorization.
• During summer break – complete the Parent Authorization for Summer Work (A new summer work form must be completed every year.)

1. Verify the minor’s age. You must keep a copy of one of the following on file:

• Birth certificate and Social Security card
• Driver’s license
• Baptismal record
• Notarized statement from the parent or legal guardian

Prohibited duties

Washington state and federal laws prohibit many jobs and duties for minor workers. Employees younger than 18 are prohibited from performing ¬hazardous activities including but not limited to:

• Working higher than 10 feet off the ground or floor level
• Driving of motor vehicles on public roads to make deliveries
• Operating forklifts or other heavy equipment
• Loading, operating, or unloading of paper/cardboard balers or compactors
• Operating powered meat/food slicers and grinders
• Using powered bakery equipment such as a Hobart mixer
• Working where there is possible exposure to hazardous substances

These are all prohibited duties for employees younger than 18. Use the links below for a full list of prohibited duties and other helpful resources for minor employees.

Hours of work

Minors are allowed to work limited hours compared to adults in Washington. In general, the hours they can work vary depending on age, the type of work, and whether school is in session.

16-17 years old are limited to the following hours of work:*

7 a.m. – 10 p.m.***

5 a.m. – midnight

7a.m. – 10 p.m.^

*14- and 15-year-olds have additional limitations.
** 8 hours Fri.–Sun
*** Midnight Fri.–Sat. or the day before a school holiday
^ Midnight Fri.–Sat.

The work week for minors is Sunday through Saturday and the school week is Monday through Friday. Any week with any amount of school time is considered a school week. Minors cannot work during school hours.

Also note the following restrictions:

• Minors working in service occupations such as restaurants and retail businesses must be supervised by an adult after 8 p.m.
• Only teens 16-17 years old can work overtime. All overtime rules apply for any hours worked over 40 hours in a week.
• The same hours of work apply to minors attending home school or alternative schools, and minors not enrolled in school.
• “School hours” for minors are defined as the hours their neighborhood public school is in session.
• Teens who are 16-17 years old can work non-school week hours if they are married, a parent, are taking college course like Running Start or have a high school diploma or equivalency (GED).
• Teens 16-17 years old who are emancipated by court order do not have hours of work limitations.

Wages

Youth 16-17 years old must be paid at least the current state minimum wage or the local minimum wage where applicable.

Rest breaks & meal periods

Minors must be allowed a paid rest break, free from duties. Minors cannot waive their rest break nor can they waive their meal break requirement.

Additionally youth younger than 16 years old:

• Must receive a paid rest break of at least 10 minutes for every two hours worked.
• Cannot work more than two hours without a 10-minute paid rest break or a 30-minute meal period.
• Must not work more than four hours without being given an uninterrupted meal period that must be separate from (and in addition to) their rest breaks.
• Breaks must not be scheduled near the beginning of the work shift.

Youth 16-17 years old:

• Are entitled to at least a 10-minute paid rest break for each four hours worked.
• Cannot be required to work more than three hours without a paid 10-minute rest break.
• Are entitled to an uninterrupted meal break of at least 30 minutes if they work more than five hours in a day.
• Can be required to stay on the job site during a rest break.
• Breaks must be scheduled as close to the midpoint of a work period as possible.

Variances

A variance is a temporary exception to the normal work restrictions for youth under 18. There are four different variances available to employers in Washington, depending on the employer’s specific needs.

Employers can request a variance for minors to work:

• Additional hours.
• Earlier or later than usually allowed.
• During school hours.
• Additional hours as actors or performers in film, video, audio or theatrical productions.
• In paid worksite learning programs, including registered apprenticeships that have hazardous duties or equipment.

Employers must initiate any request for a variance. Before requesting a variance, an employer must have a minor work permit and evidence of the minor’s age. Employers must also coordinate with the minor’s parent and school (during the school year) to complete a parent/school or summer authorization form. L&I cannot approve variances if they conflict with federal child labor laws.

Emancipated minors

Teens 16-17 years old who are emancipated by court order do not have hours of work limitations. They do not need to have a parent/school authorization form. Employers must still obtain a minor work permit and may not work emancipated minors in any prohibited occupation.

Employers should request documentation as proof of emancipation – typically a court order, driver’s license, or state-issued ID that indicates emancipated status.

Return home: Lodging Excellence Handbook

Additional Resources