Minors under the age of sixteen cannot work in, about or in connection with any factory, workshop, manufaturing or mechanical establishment, nor can they work during the hours when public schools are in session. Minors of any age may work in theatrical productions subject to the approval of the Commissioner of Labor and Industries. Minors of any age may voluntarily perform services in an a nonprofit hospital after regular school hours; children fourteen to sixteen years of age can do so until 8:00 p.m.; children thirteen years of age can do so until 5:30 p.m. Minors of any age may dispense gasoline and oil and provide courtesy service outside the service bay area of a gasoline service establishment. (M.G.L.c. 149, s. 60) (M.G.L.c. 149, s. 61)
Sixteen and seventeen year-old minors are permitted to do most types of work with certain specified exceptions. (M.G.L.c. 149, s. 62)
The Attorney General may hold hearings to determine whether a particular trade, process of manufacture or occupation under which the employment of minors is not otherwise forbidden is sufficiently dangerous to their health or morals to justify their exclusion from them. (M.G.L.c. 149, s. 63)
Minors cannot work in saloons or bars where alcoholic liquors are sold. (M.G.L.c. 149, s. 64)
With some exceptions no minor under the age of eighteen can be employed for more than nine hours in any one day. Minors under fourteen who work in agriculture may work no more than four hours per day and twenty-four hours per week, unless they are related by blood or marriage to the owner or operator of the farm. The employer must post the minor's work schedule in a conspicuous place, with start times and meal breaks indicated. A list of all minor employees must be kept on the premises and produced for inspection upon demand. (M.G.L.c. 149, s. 56)
No minor under the age of eighteen can be employed for more than nine hours in a day, more than six days in one week or more than forty-eight hours in one week. If the work performed by the minor is divided into two or more periods in a day, all such periods of work must fall within a period of twelve consecutive hours. (M.G.L.c. 149, s. 67)
No minor under the age of sixteen for whom a permit for employment is required can be employed for more than eight hours in any one day, more than six days in one week, more than forty-eight hours in one week or before 6:30 a.m. or after 7:00 p.m., except from July 1st through Labor Day, when the limit is 9:00 p.m. If the work performed by the minor is divided into two or more periods in a day, all such periods of work must fall within a period of nine consecutive hours. (M.G.L.c. 149, s. 65)
Sixteen and seventeen year-old minors may not work before 6:00 a.m. or after 10:00 p.m., except that they may work until 11:30 p.m. if school is not regularly scheduled the following day; such minors working in restaurants or race tracks can work until midnight in such situations. Restaurants that stop serving customers at 10:00 p.m. may employ such minors only until 10:15 p.m. All such minors after 8:00 p.m. must work under the direct and immediate supervision of an adult. (M.G.L.c. 149, s. 66)
Everyone employing a minor must keep posted in a conspicuous place in the room where such minor is employed or permitted to work a printed notice stating the number of hours such minor is required or permitted to work on each day of the week, with the total for the week, the hours of commencing and stopping work, and the hours when the time allowed for meals begins and ends for each day of the week. (M.G.L.c. 149, s. 74) The Attorney General upon request will furnish the printed forms of the lists and notices required. (M.G.L.c. 149, s. 75)
If a sixteen or seventeen year-old minor fails to meet the requirements for the completion of sixth grade, that minor cannot be employed if a public evening school is maintained in the town where the minor resides or in the town of employment if the minor is authorized to attend that school unless the minor is a regular attendant at the evening school or at a day school and presents to the employer each week a school record of the minor's attendance. (M.G.L.c. 149, s. 95)
Employers of fourteen or fifteen year-old minors must have on file an employment permit for each child employed. (M.G.L.c. 149, ss. 86-88)
Children nine years of age and older may be employed in the sale or delivery of newspapers. (M.G.L.c. 149, s. 69)
Persons who believe an employer has violated this law can file an online complaint under "Child Labor/Youth Employment" with the Massachusetts Attorney General.