Learn more about hazards your teen may face, labor laws, rights on the job, and sources of information in the For Teens section of this site, or download the factsheets (in English and Spanish): Are You a Working Teen? or Are You a Teen Working in Agriculture?. 15-year-old Luis caught his hand between two sections of irrigation pipe. His little finger was broken and almost completely cut off. How could this have been prevented? Click Here

Your teen may be working to earn spending money or to help out your family. As you know, having a job can be beneficial to your teen's self-esteem and sense of independence. Work gives teens an idea of what kind of jobs they find appealing and may even help them decide their future path.

At the same time, too much work can affect your teen's school performance. Also, teens may come across health and safety hazards in the workplace but be unprepared for them. Here are some helpful tips for keeping your teen safe on the job.

You may also download a copy of the Parent Tips that appear below for yourself and other parents of teen workers.

Tips for Parents with Working Teens

Know the laws

• California's child labor laws prohibit teens from working late and/or long hours, and from doing especially dangerous work.
• Cal/OSHA's workplace safety and health regulations require that the workplace be safe, and that workers receive health and safety training on the tasks they do.

Make sure your teen has a work permit.

In California, even during the summer, workers under 18 years old must have a permit to work for each new job (unless they have already graduated). Students apply for work permits at their school or district office.

Watch for these warning signs that your teen may be in an unsafe or unhealthy situation at work.

• Tiredness. Is your teen always tired or complaining of not getting enough rest?
• Lost Interest. Has your teen lost interest in school or extracurricular activities? Do they no longer have time for family and friends?
• Work Injuries. Has your teen or other employees been injured on the job?
• Unhappy at Work. Does your teen appear unhappy with work? Often teens find it difficult to talk about mistreatment by a supervisor, sexual harassment, workplace stress, or other job problems.

Talk to your teen.

• What tasks do they do? Talk frequently about your teen's job. For example, are they asked to do heavy lifting? Work alone for extended periods?
• Was your teen trained for the job? If your teen is asked to perform a new task, he/she should be given training before doing it, including safety training. The training must cover the hazards unique to that job, and safety measures to protect against injury.
• What are the potential workplace hazards? Ask your teen's opinion of the workplace. Are there slippery floors, locked or blocked exit doors, crowded spaces, or machines without safety guards?
• Is the supervisor always present? Find out if the supervisor shows concern about the employees and encourages questions.

Help resolve work problems.

If your teen has concerns about hours or safety at work, help him or her think about what changes are needed and why, whose help might be needed, and how to approach the supervisor.

Set limits on work hours.

If your teen is always tired or having trouble keeping up with school work, he or she may be working too many hours. Help your teen reduce his or her work hours.

Share this information with others in your community.

For ideas on how to spread the word, click here: Safe Jobs for Youth Month.

For more help, see Resources & Links