Employing Minors: Changes to Indiana’s Law
For businesses that hire workers under the age of 18, Indiana has made some changes to its laws in recent months. Employees aged 14 and 15 may only work between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m., regardless of whether or not the work occurs on a weekday or weekend. During the summer months of June 1 through Labor Day, employees under the age of 16 may work until 9 p.m., unless the following day is a school day.
Employees aged 16 and 17 may not start work before 6 a.m. but there is no restricted end time, provided that the following day is not a school day. If the following day is a school day, then workers aged 16 and 17 may only work until 10 p.m. unless a parent gives written permission to the employer. Forms are available here. Other exceptions apply depending on the nature of the job. These employees are also limited to 9 hours of work per day, 6 days of work per week and a maximum cap of 40 hours in school week and 48 hours in a non-school week.
Additional major changes to the law no longer allow employers to pay workers under age 18 less than minimum wage during their first 90 days on the job. Employers are no longer required to provide additional breaks for minors. Finally, establishments that employ 5 or more minors must register with the Indiana Department of Labor, which is in the process of establishing a database. Hopefully, these new changes will have the effect of simplifying Indiana’s employment laws for minors to make them more user friendly for employers and parents of minors alike.