Child Labor

The U.S. Department of Labor limits what work can be done by children under the age of 18 and the number of hours they can work. 

Children under the age of 14 cannot be employed by the university; children under the age of 14 can only be employed by their family.

Ages 14 and 15 Years Old

Children between the ages of 14 and 15 years old:

  • May not work before 7 a.m. or later than 9 p.m. during the summer
  • May not work more than 8 hours per day or 40 hours per week during the summer
  • May not work more than 18 hours per week, 3 hours per day or after 7 p.m. when school is in session
  • May not be employed in jobs using power tools, including lawn mowers and weed eaters
  • May not work in:
    • Construction, including remodeling
    • Manufacturing
    • Warehousing
    • Public messenger jobs
    • Operating hoisting machinery or power driven machinery
    • Public utilities
    • Transportation
  • May not work in or on scaffolding, excavation, soldering, laundering machines or with poisonous acids, gases or chemicals

Ages 16 and 17 Years Old

Children between the ages of 16 and 17 years old:

  • May not work before 6 a.m. during the summer
  • May not work more than 10 hours per day or 54 hours per week during the summer
  • May not work later than 11 p.m. when school is in session
  • May not be employed in jobs that involve:
    • Operating motor vehicles
    • Operating wood working machines
    • Operating power driven bakery machines
    • Operating meat slicers
    • Operating power driven paper product machines
    • Roofing operations
    • Excavation
    • Demolition

For more information, contact the Arkansas Department of Labor at 501-682-4500.