Age discrimination

Teenagers, like all groups of people, have some advantages and some disadvantages that affect your ability to find a job. A potential employer will view your energy and willingness to learn as reasons to hire you for a part-time or summer job.

However, your young age also raises certain challenges that you should know about as you look for a job.Laws exist that regulate when you can work and the type of work you can do. Non-agricultural jobs require you to be at least 14 years of age.

Fourteen- and 15-year-olds may not work more than three hours a day and 18 hours a week during the school year. During the summer and on school holidays, you can work eight hours a day and 40 hours a week, but there are time limits. You may not work later than 7 p.m. during the school year and no later than 9 p.m. between June 1 and Labor Day.If you are 16 or 17, you have no limits on the hours you can work. But the U.S. Labor Department considers some jobs hazardous for workers under age 18, so check them out before beginning your job search.

Some states require Employment/Age Certificates(also known as “working papers”) for teenagers under 18. Ask your school guidance office if they have the forms to fill out.

You can also check with your state’s labor department.It’s a good idea to conduct your own background check on any company that has made you a job offer, especially if it is unfamiliar to you or your family. Check with the Better Business Bureau to see if any complaints have been registered about the company. Find out if the company is complying with all federal and state labor laws concerning teenage workers.