Hawaii 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 Hawaii. 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 Hawaii child labor law rules and limitations.
- How old do you have to be to work in Hawaii?
- What days can a minor work in Hawaii?
- What times during the day can a minor work in Hawaii?
- How many hours can a minor work each day in Hawaii?
- How many hours can a minor work each week in Hawaii?
- What kinds of jobs can a minor work in Hawaii?
- Does a teen need to have a work permit or certificate to work in Hawaii?
- Are youth workers entitled to rest breaks or meal breaks?
How old do you have to be to work in Hawaii?
Under Hawaii child labor laws, youth must be 14-years-old or older to get a job and work in Hawaii with a few exceptions.
HI Admin. Rules – Child Labor, HI Wage Standards Division – Child Labor
What days can a minor work in Hawaii?
Hawaii child labor laws do not limit the days of the week youth may work in Hawaii. However, Hawaii rules limit the times during a day a minor may work. HI Admin. Rules – Child Labor, HI Wage Standards Division – Child Labor
What times during the day can a minor work in Hawaii?
The times during a day a minor may work in Hawaii 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.
For youth that are 16-years-old and 17-years-old, Hawaii child labor laws do not restrict the times during a workday in which they may work, except an employer may not require a minor to work when the minor is supposed to be in school.
For youth that are 14-years-old and 15-years old, Hawaii child labor laws restrict the times during the day in which they work depending whether the work the day before a school day, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., or the day before a non-school day, 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.
| Age | Day before School Day | Day before Non-School Day |
|---|---|---|
| What times can a 14-year-old work? | 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. | 6 a.m. until 9 p.m. |
| What times can a 15-year-old work? | 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. | 6 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 |
HI Admin. Rules – Child Labor, HI Wage Standards Division – Child Labor
The FLSA also restricts the how many hours a youth may work each workweek. When Hawaii child labor laws are more restrictive than the federal laws, the Hawaii rules apply and, when federal laws are more restrictive, the federal rules apply.
| 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 |
How many hours can a minor work each day in Hawaii?
For youth that are 16-years-old and 17-years-old, Hawaii child labor laws do not restrict how many hours they may work in a workday, except an employer may not require a minor to work when the minor is supposed to be in school.
Moreover, under Hawaii child labor laws, children that are 14-years-old and 15-years-old may work no more than 3 hours on a school day and 8 hours on a non-school day.
| Max Hours Work Each Day | School days | 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 |
HI Admin. Rules – Child Labor, HI Wage Standards Division – Child Labor
How many hours can a minor work each week in Hawaii?
For youth that are 16-years-old and 17-years-old, Hawaii child labor laws do not restrict how many hours they may work in a workweek, except an employer may not require a minor to work when the minor is supposed to be in school.
Moreover, under Hawaii child labor laws, children that are 14-years-old and 15-years-old may work no more than 18 hours in school week and 40 hours in a non-school workweek. Also, 14- and 15-year-olds may work no more than 6 days in a workweek.
| Max Hours Worked Each Workweek | 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 day? | 18 | 40 |
| How many hours can a 15-year-old work each day? | 18 | 40 |
| 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 |
HI Admin. Rules – Child Labor, HI Wage Standards Division – Child Labor, FLSA
What kinds of jobs can a minor work in Hawaii?
In Hawaii, youth 14 years old and older may work in the following non-hazardous jobs.
| Office and clerical work, including the operation of office machines | Cashiering, selling, modeling, art work, work in advertising departments, window trimming, and comparative shopping | Errand and delivery work by foot, bicycle, and public transportation |
| Price marking and tagging by hand or by machine, assembling orders, packing, and shelving | Bagging and carrying out customers’ orders | Clean up work, including the use of vacuum cleaners and floor waxers, and maintenance of grounds, but not including the use of power-driven mowers or cutters |
| Kitchen work and other work involved in preparing and serving food and beverages, including the operation of machines and devices used in the performance of such work as, but not limited to, dishwashers, toasters, dumbwaiters, popcorn poppers, milk-shake blenders, and coffee grinders | Work in connection with cars and trucks if confined to dispensing gasoline and oil, courtesy service, car cleaning, washing and polishing, and other occupations permitted by this section; but not including work involving the use of pits, racks, or lifting apparatus or involving the inflation of any tire mounted on a rim equipped with a removable retaining ring | Cleaning vegetables and fruits, and wrapping, sealing, labeling, weighing, pricing, and stocking goods when performed in areas physically separate from those where goods are manufactured or processed or stored in warehouse |
HI Admin. Rules – Child Labor, HI Wage Standards Division – Child Labor
In Hawaii, youth under 16 years old may not work in the following hazardous jobs, except as part of an apprenticeship or student-learner work-training program.
| Manufacturing or processing occupations, including occupations requiring the performance of any duties in workrooms or workplaces where goods are manufactured or otherwise processed | Occupations which involve the operation or tending of hoisting apparatus or any power-driven machinery other than office machines | Public messenger service |
| Occupations, except such office work (including ticket office) or sales work, involving transporting people or property by rail, highway, air, water, pipeline, or other means | Occupations, except such office work or clerical, involving warehousing and storage | Occupations, except such office work or sales work, involving construction including demolition and repair |
| Occupation of a motor vehicle helper whose work includes riding on the vehicle inside the cab for the purpose of assisting in transporting or delivering goods | Work performed in or about boiler or engine rooms | Work in connection with maintenance or repair of the establishment, machines, or equipment |
| Outside window washing that involves working from window sills, and all work requiring the use of ladders, scaffolds, or other substitutes | Cooking (except at soda fountains, lunch counters, snack bars, or cafeteria serving counters) and baking | Occupations which involve operating, setting up, adjusting, cleaning, oiling, or repairing power- driven food slicers and grinders, food choppers and cutters, and bakery type mixers |
| Work in freezers and meat coolers, and all work in the preparation of meats for sale with some exceptions | Loading and unloading goods to and from trucks, trailer-containers, or conveyors | |
HI Admin. Rules – Child Labor, HI Wage Standards Division – Child Labor
In Hawaii, youth under 18 years old may not work in the following hazardous jobs with some exceptions and except when serving a voluntary apprenticeship or other school-learner program.
| Occupations of motor vehicle driver and outside helper | Occupations in operation of power-driven woodworking machines | Occupations involving exposure to radioactive substances and to ionizing radiation |
| Occupations involved in the operation of elevators and other power-driven hoisting apparatus | Occupations involved in the operation of power-driven metal forming, punching, and shearing machines | Occupations in or about slaughtering and meat packing establishments and rendering plants |
| Occupations involved in the operation of certain power-driven bakery machines | Occupations involved in the operation of certain power-driven paper products machines | Occupations involved in the manufacture of brick, tile, and kindred products |
| Occupations involved in the operation of circular saws, band saws, and guillotine shears | Occupations involved in wrecking, demolition, and shipbreaking operations | Occupations involved in roofing operations |
| Occupations involved in excavation operations | Occupations in connection with mining | Occupations in logging and in the operation of any sawmill, lath mill, shingle mill, or cooperage stock mill |
| Occupations involved in agricultural operations |
HI Admin. Rules – Child Labor, HI Wage Standards Division – Child Labor, see also FLSA
Does a teen need to have a work permit or certificate to work in Hawaii?
Hawaii child labor laws require teens under the age of 18 to have a certificate of employment (work permit) to work in Hawaii. Moreover, it has different certification of employment requirements for 14 and 15 year old workers than it does for 16 and 17-year-old workers.
Youth who are 14- and 15-year-olds must file out an Application for Minor’s Certificate of Employment and then have the prospective employer file out its portion of the application. Once the application is filled out and signed by a parent/guardian and the prospective employer, the teen must return the application to the nearest DLIR child labor office who have the authority to approve the application. 14- and 15-year-old must get a new certificate of employment whenever they get a new job at a new employer.
Youth who are 16- and 17-year-olds must an application for Certificate of Age Work Permit online.
HI Admin. Rules – Child Labor, HI Wage Standards Division – Child Labor
Are youth workers entitled to rest breaks or meal breaks?
In Iowa, 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. HI Admin. Rules – Child Labor, HI Wage Standards Division – Child Labor
