Less than 14 Years Old
Minors under fourteen (14) years of age may not be employed.
 
 
Select a link below for additional information.
KRS 339.220 - Minors under 14 not to be employed
KRS 339.225 - Minors 11 and over as golf caddies
 
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Age 14 and 15
The following applies to all minors fourteen (14) and fifteen (15) years of age enrolled in school or participating in a home school program.
 
1. May work three (3) hours per day on a school day, eight (8) hours a day on a non-school day, and up to eighteen (18) hours total in a week when school is in session.
2. May work eight (8) hours per day, forty (40) hours per week when school is not in session for the entire school week.
3. May work between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m.
4. Between June 1 and Labor Day, the minor may work as late as 9:00 p.m.
5. Minors under sixteen (16) years of age may not be employed during regular school hours.
6. See a list of prohibited duties considered hazardous by selecting 803 KAR 1:100 in addition to the list provided below.
 
Prohibited Jobs
 
1. Manufacturing or storing explosives.
2. Driving a motor vehicle and being an outside helper on a motor vehicle.
3. Coal mining.
4. Logging and sawmilling.
5. Power-driven wood-working machines.
6. Exposure to radioactive substances and to ionizing radiations.
7. Power-driven hoisting equipment.
8. Power-driven metal-forming, punching, and shearing machines.
9. Mining, other than coal mining.
10. Slaughtering, meat packing or processing (including power-driven meat slicing machines).
11. Power-driven bakery machines.
12. Power-driven paper-products machines.
13. Manufacturing brick, tile, and related products.
14. Power-driven circular saws, band saws, and guillotine shears.
15. Wrecking, demolition, and ship-breaking operations.
16. Roofing operations.
17. Excavation operations.
18. In, about or in connection with any establishments where alcoholic liquors are distilled, rectified, compounded, brewed, manufactured, bottled, sold for consumption or dispensed unless permitted by the rules and regulations of the Alcoholic Beverage Control Board (except they may be employed in places where the sale of alcoholic beverages by the package is merely incidental to the main business actually conducted).
19. Pool or billiard room.
 
 
Select a link below for additional information.
KRS 339.210 - Definition of gainful occupation
KRS 339.230 - Restrictions of employment
KRS 339.430 - Machinery used in school courses
803 KAR 1:100 - Child labor
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Age 16 and 17
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The following applies to all minors sixteen (16) and seventeen (17) years old enrolled in school or participating in a home school program.
 
1. May work six (6) hours a day on a school day; eight (8) hours a day on a non-school day up to thirty (30) hours total in a school week.
 
2. May work between the hours of 6:00 a.m. and 10:30 p.m. preceding a school day and between the hours of 6:00 a.m. and 1:00 a.m. preceding a non-school day during a school week.
 
3. See a list of prohibited duties considered hazardous by selecting 803 KAR 1:100 in addition to the list provided below.
 
 
Prohibited Jobs

1. Manufacturing or storing explosives.
2. Driving a motor vehicle and being an outside helper on a motor vehicle.
3. Coal mining.
4. Logging and sawmilling.
5. Power-driven wood-working machines.*
6. Exposure to radioactive substances and to ionizing radiations.
7. Power-driven hoisting equipment.
8. Power-driven metal-forming, punching and shearing machines.*
9. Mining, other than coal mining.
10. Slaughtering, meat packing or processing (including power-driven meat slicing machines).
11. Power-driven bakery machines.
12. Power-driven paper-products machines.*
13. Manufacturing brick, tile and related products.
14. Power-driven circular saws, band saws and guillotine shears.*
15. Wrecking, demolition and ship-breaking operations.
16. Roofing operations.*
17. Excavation operations.*
18. In, about or in connection with any establishments where alcoholic liquors are distilled, rectified, compounded, brewed, manufactured, bottled, sold for consumption or dispensed unless permitted by the rules and regulations of the Alcoholic Beverage Control Board (except they may be employed in places where the sale of alcoholic beverages by the package is merely incidental to the main business actually conducted).
19. Pool or billiard room.
 
*Limited exemptions are provided for apprentices and student-learners under specified standards.
 
 
Select a link below for .
KRS 339.210 - Definition of gainful occupation
KRS 339.230 - Restrictions of employment
KRS 339.430 - Machinery used in school courses
803 KAR 1:100 - Child labor
Lunch Period
Minors under the age of eighteen (18) are required to take a thirty (30) minute documented lunch break for each five (5) hours of continuous work.  No period of less than thirty (30) minutes will be considered sufficient.
 
 
See KRS 339.270, Lunch Period, for additional information.
Proof of Age
Employers are required to maintain proof of age on file for each minor under eighteen (18) years of age.  A copy of a birth certificate, a driver's license, or school identification is acceptable.
 
 
See KRS 339.450, Age Certificate, for additional information.
Recordkeeping and Posting Requirements
Employers are required to maintain the names, ages, addresses, the time of the beginning and ending of each work shift, and each meal period.  Employers are responsible for posting the child labor poster including prohibited duties.  Posters may be obtained by selecting the link below.
 
 
Select the links below for additional information.
KRS 339.400 - Employer's Register
 
 
Child Labor Law Poster
 
Child Labor Law Poster - Spanish (Leyes de Labor para menores)
 
 
 
 
 
 
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Division of Employment Standards, Apprenticeship and Mediation
1047 U.S. Highway 127 South, Suite 4
Frankfort KY  40601
Phone: (502) 564-3534
Fax: (502) 696-1897