Montana Child Labor Laws
Montana’s child labor laws are in place to protect the rights and safety of minors who are employed. These laws establish which jobs they can do, how many hours they can work each week, and what types of tasks they can be assigned. It is important for employers to understand the details of these regulations in order to ensure their business remains compliant with the law.
The Montana Department of Labor & Industry is responsible for enforcing state child labor laws, which cover all employees under the age of 18 who are not considered emancipated minors. The department has established specific rules regarding start times for minor workers, maximum hours worked per day, pay rates, prohibited tasks, and occupations that minors may not perform due to health or safety concerns.
Child Labor Laws in Montana For Minors Under 14
Child labor laws in Montana are designed to protect minors under the age of 14 from exploitation and hazardous work conditions. These laws regulate how many hours a minor may work, what types of job duties they can take on, and the safety standards for their place of employment. It is important for parents and employers to be aware of these regulations so children are protected while earning money or working towards valuable experience.
In Montana, minors under the age of 14 cannot work during school hours or when they should be attending school. In addition, those younger than 12 cannot be employed at all unless it is a family business that is not open to public patronage. Minors aged 13-14 are permitted to work no more than three hours per day on weekdays and eight hours total on Saturday or Sunday, though not before 7 am or after 8 pm – whichever occurs first.
Child Labor Laws in Montana For Minors 14 and 15 Years Old
As a parent of minors between the ages of 14 and 15, it is important to understand the child labor laws in Montana. These laws are designed to protect young workers by limiting their hours, job duties, and working conditions. This article contains all the details you need to know about Montana’s child labor laws for minors aged 14 and 15.
In Montana, children who are at least 14 years old can work with restrictions. Children aged 14 and 15 may work no more than 8 hours per day or 40 hours per week. They must also have a minimum 3-hour break between shifts that last more than 4 hours each. In addition, there are certain tasks that these minors cannot perform such as operating power-driven machinery or working in hazardous occupations like mining or logging.
Child Labor Laws in Montana For Minors 16 and 17 Years Old
Montana has a set of laws that govern the employment of minors 16 and 17 years old. These laws are designed to ensure that minors are not exploited in any way by employers and to keep them safe while at work.
In Montana, all businesses must obtain a minor work permit for each minor employee working for them. They must also adhere to the hours allowed per day, days per week, and jobs permissible based on age restrictions. Minors aged 16-17 may not work more than 8 hours per day or 48 hours per week, with some exceptions such as during summer months where they can be employed up to 9 hours per day or 54 hours per week. Furthermore, they cannot be employed in hazardous occupations such as mining operations or positions involving explosives or firearms. By law, employees ages 16-17 must have at least one 30 minute break after five consecutive hours worked.
Jobs That Minors Can Do In Montana
As kids and teens in Montana reach the age of 16, they look forward to their new found freedom. With that comes the ability to take on part time jobs and make money of their own. There are plenty of job lists that minors can do in Montana.
Montana state laws allow minors who are 16 or 17 years old to work in a variety of different positions including retail salesperson, cashier, fast food worker, customer service representative, library aide and more. Minors may also work as babysitters for family members or friends with parental consent. Additionally, certain seasonal agricultural jobs may be available through farmer’s markets or local farms.
- Babysitting
- Lawn mowing
- Snow shoveling
- Dog walking
- Pet sitting
- Paper route
- Retail store associate
- Ice cream scooper
- Dishwasher
- Grocery bagger
- Library page
- Movie theater usher
- Golf caddy
- Car washer
- House cleaning
- Fruit picking
- Restaurant host/hostess
- Farm laborer
- Tutor
- Delivery driver (with adult supervision)
Hazardous Jobs For Teens In Montana As Child Labor Laws
Montana is a state known for its natural beauty and its many opportunities to gain work experience. Unfortunately, Montana also has some of the most lax child labor laws in the nation, making it difficult to protect teen workers from hazardous job conditions.
The state allows minors as young as twelve to begin working without a permit, meaning that teens are vulnerable to exploitation by employers who don’t necessarily need to follow the same safety regulations as other states. The occupations allowed for those under sixteen are greatly limited, but there are still dangerous jobs available which can put teens at risk of injury or illness.
These include jobs such as factory or agricultural work, construction and logging sites where protective clothing isn’t always required, and even restaurants where knife use is necessary.
- Manufacturing or storing explosives
- Motor vehicle driving and outside helper
- Coal mining
- Logging and sawmilling
- Power-driven woodworking machines
- Exposure to radioactive substances
- Power-driven hoisting apparatus
- Power-driven metal-forming, punching, and shearing machines
- Mining (other than coal)
- Meat packing or processing (including the use of power-driven meat slicing machines)
- Roofing and all work on or about a roof
- Excavation operations
- Demolition work
- Power-driven bakery machines
- Power-driven paper-products machines
- Manufacturing brick, tile, and related products
- Power-driven circular saws, band saws, and guillotine shears
- Wrecking, demolition, and shipbreaking operations
- Forest firefighting and forest fire prevention
- Operating power-driven woodworking, metalworking, or bakery machines