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Limitations on Employing Minors

When concluding the employment contract, the employer must be convinced that the minor is capable of performing the chosen work tasks and that the work does not jeopardize their health.

Limitations on employing a minor are as follows:

0–6-years of age	Working is prohibited, no exceptions;
7–12-years of age	Can have an easy job in the field of culture, art, sports or advertising; Consent of the legal representative is required for concluding the employment contract; Consent of the labour inspector is required for concluding the employment contract; The labour inspector has a right to involve a child protection official to determine the actual will of the minor;
13–14-years of age	Can have a job with easy tasks that do not require a great physical or mental effort. With a 13-year-old minor, an employment contract may be concluded for performing the following tasks: 1) Farming works; 2) Assisting works in trade or service companies; 3) Assisting works at catering or accommodation providers; 4) Other works which comply with the requirements set in ECA sections 2 and 4. Consent of the legal representative is required for concluding the employment contract; Consent of the labour inspector is required for concluding the employment contract;
15–16-years of age (compulsory to attend school)	Can have a job with easy tasks that do not require a great physical or mental effort; Consent of the legal representative is required for concluding the employment contract;
15–16- years of age (not compulsory to attend school)	General limitations emanating from Employment Contracts Act §7 section 2; Consent of the legal representative is required for concluding the employment contract;
17-years of age	General limitations emanating from Employment Contracts Act §7 section 2; Consent of the legal representative is required for concluding the employment contract.

Easy tasks mean such jobs where work tasks are simple and do not require a great physical or mental effort. For instance, minors are allowed to work in agriculture (picking berries and fruit), assisting in trade or service companies (unpacking and shelving items), accessory works at catering or accommodation providers (laying the tables), handicraft (making souvenirs), office works (working as an assistant), cleaning or tidying works and works related to culture, sports or advertisements.

Emanating from the general job characteristics, the Employment Contracts Act determines works forbidden to minors.

The employer may not conclude an employment contract with a minor nor allow them to a work that:

Exceeds the physical or mental abilities of the minor;
Endangers the minor’s morality;
Poses hazards that the minor might not be able to notice or prevent in due time as they lack sufficient experience or training;
Prohibits the social development or education acquisition of the minor;
Endangers the minor’s health due to work characteristics or working environment risk factors.

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Limitations on Employing Minors

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