Employment Rules and Legislation
Child Employment
Whenever a child starts a new employment, the child's parent or a carer and the prospective employer are both responsible for making sure that an application form and risk assessment are completed. You can obtain the form from the employer, the child's school or from the Education Welfare Service.
Applying for an Employment Permit
The local Education Authority responsible for issuing Employment Permits is dependent upon where the employment takes place and not where the employer's head office is or where the child lives.
If a child is working in another area, for instance Leicestershire or Bedfordshire, the employer needs to apply to that local education authority for an employment permit.
Employers Liability Insurance may be invalidated if the child is not registered. The employer may be fined if he/she does not register children.
An Employment permit can be refused or revoked if the employment is likely to be harmful to the child's education, safety, health or development.
Regulations of Employment
No child may be employed under the age of 13.
- Children cannot work before 7.00am or after 7.00pm, including Saturday and Sunday.
- Children cannot work during school hours in term time.
13 to 14 year olds
- No more than 12 hours per week.
- On Saturday: no more than 5 hours (this must include a 1 hour break).
- On Sunday: no more than 2 hours.
- No more than 25 hours total per week during school holidays.
- No more than 5 hours per day (including a 1 hour break after working 4 hours).
15 to 16 year olds
No more than 12 hours per week.
- On Saturday: no more than 8 hours (including a 1 hour break after working for 4 hours).
- On Sunday: no more than 2 hours.
- No more than 35 hours total per week during school holidays.
- No more than 8 hours per day (including a 1 hour break after working 4 hours).
Children over 16
National Insurance Cards are issued to all children prior to their 16th birthday. However, because they are of compulsory school age, they still need a work permit and the same regulations apply as to other children.
There is only ONE school leaving date (last Friday June each year). This is referred to as the Compulsory School Leaving Age in the UK (year 11 in Northamptonshire).
Prohibited Employment
- In a cinema, theatre, disco, dance hall, nightclub, except if you have a Performance Licence.
- To sell or deliver alcohol.
- To deliver milk.
- To deliver fuel oils.
- In a commercial kitchen.
- To collect or sort refuse.
- Any work more than 3 metres above ground/floor.
- Harmful exposure to physical, biological or chemical agents.
- To collect money or to sell/canvass door to door.
- Exposure to adult material/situations unsuitable to children.
- Telephone sales.
- Slaughterhouse, any part of a butcher's shop or other premises connected with the killing of livestock, butchery and preparation of carcasses or meat for sale.
- Attendant/assistant in a fairground amusement arcade or any other premises used for public amusement by means of automatic machines, games of chance or skill or similar devices.
- Personal care of residents of any residential care home or nursing home.
Child Employment is regulated by the:
- Children & young persons act 1933 to 1963.
- Education Act 1944 to 1966.
- Children Act 1972 to 1989.
- Northampton County Byelaws 1998.
The area of Child employment also falls within many other Acts & Regulations - Health & Safety, Factories Act 1961 and so forth.
Employment Permit Contacts
Send any queries or application forms to:
South Northants
Andy Langford
Education Welfare
Cromwell Centre
Cromwell Street
Northampton
NN1 2TE
Tel: 01604 259599
East Northants
Sue Duffy
Education Welfare
William Knibb Centre
Montague Street
Kettering
NN16 8AE
Tel: 01536 533930
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