Michigan protects minors with strict working hour limits and hazardous occupation prohibitions.
Michigan's Youth Employment Standards Act (YESA) mandates working papers for minors under 18, limits daily and weekly hours, and requires breaks. Employers must navigate specific restrictions for 14- and 15-year-olds regarding school days, and ensure no minor engages in hazardous occupations.
Minor Employment Rules
Ensuring compliance with Michigan's Youth Employment Standards Act for all employees under 18.
What those rules do as a Michigan shift is created.
Teambridge automatically applies Michigan's minor employment rules, flagging potential violations related to working hours, break requirements, and prohibited occupations, ensuring your schedules remain compliant with the Youth Employment Standards Act.
Prohibits hazardous work for all minors.
Teambridge prevents scheduling any employee under 18 into shifts tagged with hazardous duties, such as operating heavy machinery, working with explosives, or other occupations deemed unsafe by the state.
Flags excessive hours for 16-17 year olds.
While 16 and 17-year-olds have more flexibility, Teambridge will flag shifts that push them beyond 10 hours a day or 48 hours a week, prompting review to avoid violations.
Avoids school-day conflicts for 14-15 year olds.
For 14- and 15-year-olds, Teambridge automatically restricts scheduling during school hours and ensures work hours do not exceed 3 hours on a school day or 18 hours in a school week.
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Michigan requires work permits for minors and imposes strict limits on hours and occupations.
Michigan's Youth Employment Standards Act (YESA), MCL 409.101 et seq., governs the employment of minors under 18, requiring work permits, specifying maximum hours, mandating breaks, and prohibiting certain hazardous occupations to protect their well-being and education.
MCL 409.103-409.117 (Youth Employment Standards Act)
No minor may be employed in an occupation that is injurious to the minor's health or morals or which is unduly hazardous, as determined by the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity (LEO).
Minors under 18 must obtain a work permit (Form CA-6 or CA-7) from their school district. Employers must keep these permits on file.
A minor is entitled to a meal or rest period of at least 30 minutes if scheduled to work 5 or more consecutive hours.
Hours and Time Restrictions for Minors
The Youth Employment Standards Act places specific limitations on when and how long minors can work:
- Minors 14 and 15 years old:
- Cannot work during school hours, except as part of an approved work-study program.
- Maximum 3 hours on a school day; 18 hours in a school week.
- Maximum 8 hours on a non-school day; 40 hours in a non-school week.
- Cannot work before 7 a.m. or after 9 p.m. (exception: 9:30 p.m. from June 1 to Labor Day).
- Minors 16 and 17 years old:
- Maximum 10 hours per day.
- Maximum 48 hours per week.
- Cannot work between 10:30 p.m. and 6 a.m. on school nights (exception: 11:30 p.m. if employer obtains special consent from school and parent).
- No restrictions on non-school nights or during summer months (June 1 to Labor Day).
Prohibited Occupations
Michigan law, in conjunction with federal FLSA child labor provisions, prohibits minors from working in a wide range of hazardous occupations. These include, but are not limited to:
- Manufacturing or storing explosives.
- Operating power-driven machinery (e.g., woodworking, metalworking, bakery machines).
- Mining, logging, or sawmilling.
- Occupations involving exposure to radioactive substances.
- Wrecking, demolition, or excavation.
- Roofing.
- Occupations involving driving motor vehicles on public roads as part of the job.
- Any work in connection with the operation of power-driven hoisting apparatus.
Employers must verify the age of all employees and ensure compliance with these restrictions to avoid significant penalties.
Teambridge ensures Michigan minor employment compliance, without manual checks.
Teambridge integrates Michigan's Youth Employment Standards Act directly into your scheduling workflow, proactively preventing violations and ensuring all minors are scheduled lawfully.
Automatically flags minors without valid work permits.
Before a minor is ever scheduled, Teambridge prompts for work permit information and can block scheduling if a valid permit isn't on file, ensuring compliance from day one.
Applies hour limits and break requirements as shifts are built.
Teambridge's scheduling engine understands Michigan's daily, weekly, and school-day hour limits for 14-15 and 16-17 year olds, automatically inserting required 30-minute breaks after 5 consecutive hours and preventing shifts that exceed legal thresholds.
Prevents scheduling minors into restricted job roles.
By tagging job roles or tasks as "hazardous," Teambridge ensures that minors are automatically blocked from being assigned to these positions, mitigating risk and ensuring safety compliance.
Maintains detailed logs of all minor employment activity.
Teambridge keeps comprehensive, immutable records of all schedules, work permits, and compliance checks related to minor employees, providing an easily accessible audit trail for state inspections.
People also ask.
Do all minors in Michigan need a work permit?
Yes, all minors under the age of 18 in Michigan must obtain a work permit (either a Form CA-6 for full-time employment or a Form CA-7 for temporary employment) from their local school district before they can begin working. The employer must keep this permit on file.
What are the maximum hours a 15-year-old can work in Michigan?
A 15-year-old in Michigan can work a maximum of 3 hours on a school day and 18 hours in a school week. On non-school days and during non-school weeks (like summer), they can work up to 8 hours per day and 40 hours per week. They generally cannot work before 7 a.m. or after 9 p.m. (with a 9:30 p.m. extension from June 1 to Labor Day).
Are minors required to take breaks in Michigan?
Yes, Michigan law requires that if a minor is scheduled to work 5 or more consecutive hours, they must be provided with a meal or rest period of at least 30 minutes. This break should be uninterrupted.
What types of jobs are prohibited for minors in Michigan?
Michigan law prohibits minors from engaging in occupations deemed hazardous or injurious to their health or morals. This includes, but is not limited to, operating heavy machinery, working with explosives, mining, roofing, driving as part of the job, and certain occupations involving power-driven equipment. These prohibitions align closely with federal child labor laws.
Can a 16-year-old work late on a school night in Michigan?
Generally, a 16- or 17-year-old cannot work between 10:30 p.m. and 6 a.m. on a school night. However, there is an exception: if the employer obtains written consent from both the minor's parent/guardian and the school, they may work until 11:30 p.m. on a school night. During non-school nights and summer (June 1 to Labor Day), these restrictions do not apply.
What are the penalties for violating Michigan's minor employment rules?
Violations of Michigan's Youth Employment Standards Act can result in civil fines, which can be substantial. Repeated or willful violations may lead to higher penalties. Employers may also face legal action from the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity (LEO) or other enforcement bodies.