What does the FLSA say about child labor?

Good question! The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) basically monitors the work of any employee under 18 (and 16 in some states). Under the FLSA, children under 18 aren’t allowed to perform work involving hazardous waste, and in most state, minors can’t serve alcohol or even work in places that serve alcohol.

For minors between 14-16, they may not work during school hours or after 7 p.m. And although they make work up to 40 hours when school is not in session, they are only allowed 18 work hours during school; they may also work until 9 p.m. during the summer months.