If you have a child who is 14 or 15 years of age, your child MUST HAVE a valid Illinois Department of Labor Employment Certificate, also known as a Work Permit. Your child can not work in the state of Illinois without the Work Permit. The Illinois Department of Labor oversees the safety of minors in Illinois by regulating the employment of workers under 16 years of age. The law protects children by limiting working hours, prohibiting work in hazardous occupations, and requiring employment certificates (820 ILCS 205/1-22 Child Labor Law).
A Work Permit is valid for one year from the date of issue and can only be obtained from an issuing officer by the school district.
Children 14 and 15 years of age my work if the following requirements are met:
- Employment Certificates have been issued by the school district and filed with the Department of Labor confirming that a minor is old enough to work, physically capable to perform the job, and that the job will not interfere with the minor’s education;
- The work is not deemed a hazardous occupation (a full listing can be found on www.labor.illinois.gov);
- Work is limited to 3 hours per day on school days, 8 hours per day on non-school days and no more than 6 days or 48 hours per week;
- Work is performed only between the hours of 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. during the school year except between June through September when working hours may be extended to 9:00 p.m.; and
- A 30-minute meal period is provided no later than the fifth hour of work.
To obtain a Work Permit for your child please contact our issuing officer, Erin Shaffer, at eshaffer@dist265.com.