Minor work hours by age: 7 entries from MN, IL, WA and WI

Key takeaways: minor work hours by age

• Minnesota ages 14 and 15: Cannot work before 7 a.m., after 9 p.m., more than 40 hours a week, or more than eight hours a day Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry.
• Minnesota age 16 and up: Cannot work after 11 p.m. on nights before school or before 5 a.m. on school days Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry.
• Illinois school days: Work is capped at 3 hours per day and at 8 hours total of work and school hours, when school is in session Illinois Department of Labor.
• Illinois meal period: A scheduled meal period of at least 30 minutes is required no later than the 5th consecutive hour of work Illinois Department of Labor.
• Washington and Wisconsin: Check the rule titles for hours, breaks and minimum ages Washington State Legislature.

Who the limits cover and where state and federal differ

The minimum employment age sets the floor for who can appear on your roster. According to the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry, in most cases, no one younger than 14 may be employed. This is generally the youngest age band you can schedule in Minnesota, but exceptions may apply. If you are building a weekly schedule for other states, check that specific jurisdiction's minimum age rule, as it may differ from this Minnesota standard.

Federal law interacts with state rules in a specific way for younger workers. The Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry states that federal law is more restrictive for children under the age of 16. This means that for 14- and 15-year-olds, federal standards may impose tighter limits than some state rules. When you schedule shifts for these age bands, you must account for the stricter of the two applicable sets of rules.

State and federal laws do not always align on protection levels. The Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry notes that certain Minnesota child labor laws are more protective than federal law, and federal law is more protective in some cases. This indicates that you cannot assume one set of rules is universally stricter. You must compare the specific state regulations against federal requirements for each age group on your roster.

To build a compliant schedule, identify the minimum age for your location first. Then, for each minor on your roster, determine whether state or federal law provides the stricter limit for their specific age. Write the applicable limit next to their name before posting the schedule. This ensures you do not assign shifts that violate the more protective rule.

Minnesota limits for ages 14 to 16 and up

When you build a weekly roster for Minnesota, the hour limits split into two distinct age bands. For the youngest workers, the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry sets a strict window. Children ages 14 and 15 cannot work before 7 a.m. or after 9 p.m. Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry. This creates a hard daily boundary for your shift start and end times. You must ensure no 14- or 15-year-old’s clock-in falls before 7 a.m. and no clock-out extends past 9 p.m. For a fuller checklist, see Minor workday limits: 6 checks by age and state.

The same source imposes caps on total hours for this group. Children ages 14 and 15 cannot work more than 40 hours a week. Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry. They also cannot work more than eight hours a day. Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry. When scheduling a full week, add up the daily shifts for each 14- or 15-year-old to verify the weekly total stays at or below 40 hours. If a single day’s shift exceeds eight hours, the schedule violates the daily limit regardless of the weekly total.

For workers who have reached age 16, the rules shift to protect school attendance. After they reach age 16, they cannot work after 11 p.m. on nights before school. Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry. They also cannot work before 5 a.m. on school days. Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry. This means a 16-year-old or older scheduled for a closing shift on a Tuesday must finish by 11 p.m. if they have school on Wednesday. Similarly, a morning shift on a school day cannot start before 5 a.m. For closing shift checks, see Teen closing shifts: 8 checks before posting tonight.

Illustrative example: one 15-year-old's week in Minnesota

A 15-year-old is scheduled for five 8-hour shifts, each starting at 7 a.m. The week totals 40 hours, the weekly limit, so no more hours can be added. A 9-hour shift on any day would break the eight-hour daily limit. A 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. shift would cross the 9 p.m. boundary, so it cannot be posted.

Illinois school-week cap, school-day cap and meal period

When school is in session, the Illinois Department of Labor caps minors’ work at 3 hours per day. On those same school days, the total combined time for work and school must not exceed 8 hours. Check each minor's school calendar before posting any week. If you schedule a minor for a full workday during the school session, you must check both the daily work cap and the combined total to stay within these bounds.

For weeks when school is in session, the Illinois Department of Labor caps work at no more than 18 hours in a week.

Meal breaks are a mandatory part of the schedule for minors in Illinois. The Illinois Department of Labor requires that a scheduled meal period of at least 30 minutes be provided no later than the 5th consecutive hour of work. This timing rule means that if a minor works a shift longer than 5 hours, the break must occur before the 6th hour begins. You cannot push this break past the 5-hour mark, even if the shift continues. For break rules in other states, see Minor break coverage rules across 4 states.

Employers must schedule this meal period for the minor. When you build the weekly schedule, insert a 30-minute break slot for every minor working a shift that extends past 5 hours.

What the Washington, Wisconsin and Arizona rules list

When you build a weekly schedule for minors in these states, the cited pages list rule titles and definitions. The Washington State Legislature publishes Chapter 296-125 WAC, which includes section 296-125-101 titled "Hours of work for minors." The same chapter also lists section 296-125-111 for "Meal and rest breaks—Minors under the age of 16" and section 296-125-121 for "Meal and rest breaks—Sixteen- and 17-year-old minors." These titles indicate that Washington separates break rules by age band.

In Wisconsin, the Wisconsin State Legislature defines a "minor employee" in statute 104.01(5g) as an employee who is under 18 years of age. This definition sets the age boundary for who is covered by minor-specific rules in that state. The legislature also lists administrative code DWD 270.10, titled "Minimum ages in various employments."

For Arizona, the Arizona State Legislature lists an exemption under statute 23-235 for a person who is between sixteen and eighteen years of age and is engaged in manufacturing or mining occupations.

Because these pages list titles, definitions and exemptions, you must check the full text of each cited section for the specific numbers that apply to your roster. Verify the exact hour and break requirements for each minor on your roster by consulting the complete sections cited above before posting the schedule.

Reference table: limits and rule titles by publisher

The table below lists seven entries from the state sources: hour limits, a meal period and rule titles. Each row names the publisher and the documented restriction or rule title, allowing you to match the limit to the correct age band on your roster.

Use this table to verify that the time blocks you enter for each teen align with the specific jurisdiction's published limits. If a row lists a rule title, open the cited section for its full text.

Next step today: open your current roster, find each employee under 18, and write their age band and applicable hour limit beside their name before the next schedule goes up.

FAQ: minor work hours by age

What are the minor work hours by age in Minnesota?

For children ages 14 and 15, Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry states they cannot work before 7 a.m., after 9 p.m., more than 40 hours a week, or more than eight hours a day. After reaching age 16, the same source notes they cannot work after 11 p.m. on nights before school or before 5 a.m. on school days.

Does the Minnesota hour limit apply to my store in another state?

State laws differ, so the Minnesota limits do not automatically apply to your store in another state. You must check the specific labor laws for the state where your store is located.

How many hours a day can a 14 or 15 year old work in Minnesota?

According to the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry, children ages 14 and 15 cannot work more than eight hours a day. This daily limit applies alongside the weekly cap of 40 hours and the time-of-day restrictions.

When must a minor get a meal period in Illinois?

The Illinois Department of Labor requires a scheduled meal period of at least 30 minutes. This break must be provided no later than the 5th consecutive hour of work.

Can a 16-year-old work late before a school day in Minnesota?

No, a 16-year-old cannot work after 11 p.m. on nights before school, according to the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry.