Federal Law

• The federal Fair Labor Standards Act establishes the minimum employment standards for most employers. The federal law prohibits employers from hiring children under 14 in most circumstances. However, children younger than 14 can work in nonhazardous industries for their parents, as newspaper delivery carriers, as casual babysitters and as child actors. The act prohibits children 15 and younger from working more than eight hours per day, three hours on school days and 18 hours during school weeks. Federal law does not limit the hours that children 16 and older can work. The act also prohibits employers from hiring minors to work in hazardous occupations, including working with machinery, working in most agricultural positions, working in construction, working in public utilities and working in caves.
  
  

Arkansas Law

• Arkansas law places strict limitations on employers who hire minors under 18. Minors under 16 cannot work in any dangerous occupation, including most types of building and construction trades requiring them to perform heavy work; in pool halls; construction occupations using scaffolding; mines; certain retail industries; bakeshops; woodworking; and in most agricultural positions. Arkansas minors under 14 can work for their parents while school is not in session. Furthermore, Arkansas law allows newspaper publishers to hire children under 14 with parental approval during non-school hours. To hire minors, newspaper distributors must obtain accidental death insurance coverage of at least $10,000 and dismemberment coverage paying benefits on a pro-rated basis, depending on the type of dismemberment.
  
  

Arkansas Work Hour Restrictions for Minors

• Although the federal U.S. Department of Labor does not limit the number of hours that children age 16 and older can work, states can implement more restrictive laws. The Arkansas Department of Labor limits the hours that children younger than 18 can work. In Arkansas, minors under 18 cannot work more than 54 hours a week, more than 10 consecutive hours each day, more than 10 hours in a 24-hour period, more than six days in one week, during school hour, before 6 a.m. or after 11 p.m.
  
  

Limitations and Penalties

• The Arkansas child labor laws do not apply to children 16 to 18 who attend vocational or technical schools, parents, married children and high school graduates. Employers who violate the Arkansas child labor laws can pay civil fines of up to $1,000 for each child labor violation, and each day of noncompliance counts as a separate offense. Furthermore, the director of labor can order an employer to close its business.
  
  

Considerations

• Since labor laws can frequently change, do not use this information as a substitute for legal advice. Seek advice through an attorney licensed to practice law in your state.