Hours and time for children at work
In the UK there are strict laws to protect children from exploitation and to make sure that
work does not get in the way of their education. The earliest legal age for children to do
paid work is set at 14. There are a few exceptions that allow children under the age of 14
to work legally and these include specific work in performing, modelling, sport and
agriculture. In order to do any of this work, it is necessary to get a licence from the local
authority.
By law, children aged 14 to 16, can only do light work. There are particular jobs they are
not allowed to do and these include delivering milk, selling alcohol, cigarettes or
medicines, working in a kitchen or a chip shop, working with dangerous machinery or
doing any other kind of work that might cause them any kind of injury. Children who
work have to get an employment card from their local authority and a medical certificate
of fitness for work.
The law sets out clear limits for the working hours and times for 14-16-year-old children.
Every child must have at least two consecutive weeks a year during the school holidays
when they do not work. They cannot work:
For more than 4 hours without a one-hour rest break
For more than 2 hours on any school day or a Sunday
Before 7 AM or after 7 PM
For more than one hour before school starts
For more than 12 hours in any school week
15 and 16-year-olds can work slightly more hours than 14-year-olds on a weekday when
they are not at school, on Saturdays and in school holidays. The local authority has a
duty to check that the law is obeyed. If it believes that a young person is working
illegally, it can order that the young person is no longer employed.
Check that you understand:
Maternity and paternity rights
Entitlement to maternity leave and pay for both part time and full time workers
Paternity leave entitlement
The importance of following the right procedures and providing sufficient notice
Children at work
Minimum age for starting work
Jobs 14 to 16-year-olds are not allowed to do
The maximum hours allowed
Requirements: medical certificate and employment card
The local authority´s responsibility for protecting children
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