Anyone who supervises employees under the age of 15 must also have a work cheque with children. Most young people want a little more pocket money to buy concert tickets, clothes or the new iPhone 13. But how old does a child have to be to work legally? The answer depends on the state or territory in which the young person lives. This article sets the minimum age of employment in each state or territory, so you can rest assured that you are hiring legally. They must be able to rest for 30 minutes every three hours of work and must have at least 12 hours of break between the end of one shift and the beginning of the next. Unless you work for your family`s business or farm, your employer must have a Victorian Government Child Work Permit (POC) before you can start working. Once you`re 15, you can legally work in Victoria in any type of job, provided that: Some large companies like food franchises and supermarkets have their own minimum age rules. Check the company`s website to find out how old you need to be to work for them. A youth must be 17 years of age to be employed full-time. However, they can apply for an exemption to drop out of school and work full-time instead at the end of Grade 10. If you are under 17 years of age, you must be in school, in an accredited education or training program, or in full-time paid employment.
You can only work between 6 a.m. and 9 p.m. If you work in street trading, such as a fruit kiosk or mobile food truck, you can only work between 6 a.m. and 9 p.m. during the day. That is, if it is still dark at 6 am, you will have to wait for the sunrise. If you have a question about a specific type of employment or work for a specific employer, contact a Child Employment Officer at 1800-287-287 or envoyez-childemployment@ecodev.vic.gov.au by email to inquire directly about it. The minimum age for admission to employment in Victoria is 11 years. That`s the age you have to be to work. Child employment officers have the authority to ensure that employers comply with the requirements of the law and all associated regulations and licence conditions. For example, McDonald`s has introduced a minimum age of 14, which applies to all stores in Australia. They expanded what the law says in states that do not have a minimum working age (NSW, NT, SA and CAS) by adding additional conditions for those who are fourteen but not yet 16, including: As an employer, it is crucial not to employ people who are too young to work legally.
However, minimum working age requirements vary from state to state. You should also consider how a person`s young age may affect their work. If you have any questions to ensure you are hiring workers legally, contact LegalVision`s employment lawyers on 1300-544-755 or fill out the form on this page. If you are under the age of 15 and have questions, or if you have a problem at work that you would like to discuss, you can contact: If you earn a certain amount from work or investments, you must file a tax return after the end of the fiscal year (June 30). Visit the ATO website to find out how much you can earn before you have to pay taxes. This is called a tax exemption thresholdexternal link. There is no minimum age to employ children in a family business or in the entertainment industry. In Australia, there is no minimum age to work in all states and territories.
The minimum age for admission to employment depends on the country or territory where the employee works. It`s a good idea to get a tax identification number if you`re working. If you don`t, your employer will have to pay taxes on almost 50% of your salary. In Qld and Victoria, you can work for more than 15 years, less than 15 years, you can work in certain situations. A tax number is issued by the Australian Tax Authority (ATO) and belongs to you for life, even if you move, change your name, live abroad for a period of time or find a new job. Children employed in industries other than entertainment must: They may not work in door-to-door sales, construction or deep-sea fishing. You may not sell liquor in a bottle store, hotel or restaurant until you are 18 years of age unless you are participating in an approved training program. In the Australian Capital Territory and Northern Territory, there is no minimum age, although workers under the age of 15 are limited in the type of work they can do.
Penalties for these and other offences range from $1,000 to $10,000. In Victoria, a child must be at least 15 years old to work. There are important exceptions to this law if a person under the age of 15 wants to work, such as if they work in a family business or in the entertainment industry. The role of the Child Employment Officer at the Victoria Payroll Inspectorate is that if you are under the age of 15, you can only work a maximum of three hours per day and 12 hours per week during school hours. During the holidays, you can work a maximum of six hours a day and 30 hours a week. These hours include breaks. The amount you receive depends on the type of contract under which you are employed. To find out how much you should be paid, visit our What is your minimum wage page or contact the Fair Work Ombudsman for information on rates of pay and working conditions. However, parents/guardians are required to supervise their children directly. If this is not the case, i.e. if another person is designated as the child`s supervisor, the family business exemption does not apply and a permit must be applied for. You can apply for a tax numberExternal link on the ATO website.
If you are under 16, you will need two types of identifiers, such as: Your birth certificate or citizenship documents with proof of residency and a recent report card. In Victoria, you can only do delivery work if you are 11 or 12 years old. There are laws on the employment of young people under the age of 15. Employers can be fined if they fail to comply with these conditions. McDonald`s has implemented this measure to create a work environment that can support academic commitments and youth safety requirements. It`s a good idea to take this into account when considering hiring a youth, as children may be more vulnerable to exploitation through employment. Young people may also find it more difficult to balance their work with their other commitments. Age restrictions vary by state and territory in Australia, so you should check the laws in your area. It is illegal for anyone under the age of 15 to do any type of work other than “light work”.
This includes the work you do for your family`s farm or business. *Light work is defined as that which is not likely to harm the health, development of safety or the moral and material well-being of a child. Nor should it affect their ability to go to school or their ability to learn. If you are under 15, you can only work if your employer obtains a child work permitexternal link from Business Victoria. Your employer will also need a work check with the children to hire you. It is illegal to work without a permit and employers can be fined between $1,000 and $10,000. You may want to consider developing a company policy to set the minimum age for your employees while taking into account the legal requirements of your state or territory. In general, you cannot work if you are under 13 years of age. However, you can work: Even in a family business, parents should be aware of the restrictions regarding: If the person you want to employ is under 15 but over 13, they can work with their parents` permission. In this scenario, you need a child work permit. Table B below shows the number of hours children can work in entertainment industries that include live entertainment, such as: For more information on working hours, visit Business Victoria`s Child Employment Laws page, contact a Child Employment Officer on 1800 287 287 or email childemployment@ecodev.vic.gov.au. Permits are free of charge.
The employer must provide details about what you will be doing and your hours of work. Your parents or guardians must give their written consent. Your school must also approve if employment takes place during school hours. The general rules relating to the working hours of employees under 15 years of age are as follows: There are guidelines for the selection of internships. Talk to your internship coordinator for more information. We inform you further down the page about the rules for working in a family business or farm and in the entertainment industry. If you are 15 years of age or older, your employer no longer needs a work permit to hire you. If you are over 14 years old, you can do an internship up to 15 days per semester and no more than 40 days per year. If you are under 15, you can only work without a permit if the work is casual (non-regular) and includes: There is no minimum age for a person to work in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT).
However, there are additional conditions for employers whose employees are under the age of 15, including the fact that the employer: Download and read the following documents to know all the details on the number of hours children can work in the entertainment industry: You can only do certain types of work until the age of 15: A CEP sets rules to ensure your work is safe and appropriate. For example, persons under the age of 15: they can be downloaded or completed online from the Business Victoria website. Table A shows the number of hours children can work in the entertainment and advertising industry, for example: There are also some things you can`t do if you`re under 15, such as: You can find information and advice on contracts on our Employment Contracts page.