Kentucky 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 Kentucky. 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 Kentucky child labor law rules and limitations.
- How old do you have to be to work in Kentucky?
- What days can a minor work in Kentucky?
- What times during the day can a minor work in Kentucky?
- How many hours can a minor work each day in Kentucky?
- How many hours can a minor work each week in Kentucky?
- What kinds of jobs can a minor work in Kentucky?
- Does a teen need to have a work permit or certificate to work in Kentucky?
- Are youth workers entitled to rest breaks or meal breaks?
How old do you have to be to work in Kentucky?
Under Kentucky child labor laws, youth must be 14-years-old or older to get a job and work in Kentucky with a few exceptions including:
| 11 year olds working as a caddy | 12 year olds working as a referee, umpire, or official for an age bracket younger than the minor’s own age | employment as an actor or performer |
| employment in farm work or in domestic service in a private home | employment by a householder in connection with the household and not in connection with the householder’s business or occupation such as grass cutting or carrying ashes or similar casual domestic tasks | employment in the delivery of newspapers on regularly scheduled routes |
KY Statutes 339.205 to 339.990, KY Regs. 803 KAR 1:100 – Child Labor, KY Education and Labor Cabinet – Child Labor Law
What days can a minor work in Kentucky?
Kentucky child labor laws do not limit the days of the week youth may work in Kentucky. However, Kentucky rules limit the times during a day a minor may work. KY Statutes 339.205 to 339.990, KY Regs. 803 KAR 1:100 – Child Labor, KY Education and Labor Cabinet – Child Labor Law
What times during the day can a minor work in Kentucky?
The times during a day a minor may work in Kentucky 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, when school is in session, Kentucky child labor laws restrict the times they may work in on a day before a school day to 6 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. and on a day before a non-school day to 6 a.m. to 1 a.m. When school is not in session, Kentucky does not restrict the times during a day 16 and 17-year-olds may work.
| Age | School in Session Day before a School Day | School in Session Day before a Non-School Day | School not in Session |
|---|---|---|---|
| What times can a 16-year-old work? | 6 am to 10:30 p.m. | 6 a.m. to 1 a.m. | No restriction |
| What times can a 17-year-old work? | 6 am to 10:30 p.m. | 6 a.m. to 1 a.m. | No restriction |
For youth that are 14-years-old and 15-years old, Kentucky child labor laws restrict the times during the day in which they work depending whether school is in session, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., or school is not in session, 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.
| 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. |
KY Statutes 339.205 to 339.990, KY Regs. 803 KAR 1:100 – Child Labor, KY Education and Labor Cabinet – Child Labor Law
The FLSA also restricts the times youth may work each workday. When the Kentucky child labor laws are more restrictive than federal laws, 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 Kentucky?
Moreover, under Kentucky child labor laws, children that are 16-years-old and 17-years-old may work no more than 6 hours on a school day and 8 hours on a non-school day.
Moreover, under Kentucky 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 | 6 |
| How many hours can a 15-year-old work each day? | 3 | 6 |
| How many hours can a 16-year-old work each day? | 6 | 8 |
| How many hours can a 17-year-old work each day? | 6 | 8 |
KY Statutes 339.205 to 339.990, KY Regs. 803 KAR 1:100 – Child Labor, KY Education and Labor Cabinet – Child Labor Law
The FLSA also restricts the how many hours a youth may work each workday. When the Kentucky child labor laws are more restrictive than federal laws, the Kentucky rules apply.
| 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 |
How many hours can a minor work each week in Kentucky?
Moreover, under Kentucky child labor laws, children that are 16-years-old and 17-years-old may work no more than 30 hours in a school week. Kentucky does not restrict the number of hours a 16 or 17-year-old may work when school is not in session. Also, 16 and 17-year-olds may not work more than 6 days in a workweek.
Moreover, under Kentucky child labor laws, children that are 14-years-old and 15-years-old may work no more than 18 hours during school weeks and 40 hours during non-school weeks.
| 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? | 30 | No restriction |
| How many hours can a 17-year-old work each day? | 30 | No restriction |
KY Statutes 339.205 to 339.990, KY Regs. 803 KAR 1:100 – Child Labor, KY Education and Labor Cabinet – Child Labor Law
The FLSA also restricts the how many hours a youth may work each workweek. When Kentucky child labor laws are more restrictive than the federal laws, the Kentucky rules apply.
| Max Hours Worked Each Workweek | Federal Law School Weeks (Labor Day to June 1) | Federal Law Non-School Weeks (June 1 to Labor Day) |
|---|---|---|
| How many hours can a 14-year-old work each week? | 18 | 40 |
| How many hours can a 15-year-old work each week? | 18 | 40 |
| How many hours can a 16-year-old work each week? | No restriction | No restriction |
| How many hours can a 17-year-old work each week? | No restriction | No restriction |
What kinds of jobs can a minor work in Kentucky?
In Kentucky, youth 14 years old and older may work in the following jobs in retail, food service, and gasoline service establishments.
| Office and clerical work, including the operation of office machines | Cashiering, selling, modeling, art work, work in advertising departments, window trimming, and comparative shopping | Price marketing and tagging by hand or by machine, assembling orders, packing and shelving |
| Bagging and carrying out customer’s orders | Errand and delivery work by foot, bicycle, and public transportation | Clean up work, including the use of vacuum cleaners and floor waxers, and maintenance of grounds. Cleanup work shall not include 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, such 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 the following: dispensing gasoline and oil; courtesy service; car cleaning, washing, and polishing; and other occupations permitted by this section. This shall not include 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 if performed in areas physically separate from freezers and meat coolers |
In Kentucky, youth under 16 years old may not work in the following jobs in retail, food service, and gasoline service establishments.
| 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 their 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, railroad cars, or conveyors | All occupations in warehouses except office and clerical work |
In Kentucky, youth under 18 years old may not work in the following jobs except when serving an apprenticeship or student-learner program.
KY Statutes 339.205 to 339.990, KY Regs. 803 KAR 1:100 – Child Labor, KY Education and Labor Cabinet – Child Labor Law, FLSA
Does a teen need to have a work permit or certificate to work in Kentucky?
Kentucky child labor laws do not require teens to obtain an employment certificate (work permit) to work in Kentucky. However, Kentucky employers are required to maintain a copy of the proof of the age each youth working for its business. Sufficient documentation of the youth’s age may include a copy of a birth certificate, driver’s license, or school identification. KY Statutes 339.205 to 339.990, KY Regs. 803 KAR 1:100 – Child Labor, KY Education and Labor Cabinet – Child Labor Law
Also, teens may obtain a federal certificate of age to validate their age and employers may rely on the federal age certificate to defend themselves from claims that they employed an underage teen. FLSA Child Labor Law Age Certificates
Are youth workers entitled to rest breaks or meal breaks?
In Kentucky, 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. KY Statute 339.270
Additionally, employers are required to provide minors with a paid rest break of at least 10 minutes during each 4 hours worked. The required meal break may not be counted as the required rest period. KY Statute 339.270
