Child labor enforcement has surged, and the violations rarely look like exploitation — they look like a busy Friday. The 15-year-old scheduled until 8:30 on a school night. The 17-year-old who 'helped' on the dough mixer during a rush. The file with no proof of age beyond the application. Penalties are assessed per violation, per minor, and 'the parents were fine with it' is not a defense.
This checklist covers both rulebooks — Texas and federal FLSA, with the stricter rule controlling — in six parts: verified age documentation, the hour tables for 14-15 year olds, the hazard rules that still bind 16-17 year olds, the prohibited duties list, and the supervisor controls that prevent the 'just this once' violations that inspectors find first.
Who should use this compliance checklist
- Restaurants, grocers, and retailers hiring teens
- Seasonal employers staffing summer surges
- Managers who schedule minors alongside adults
- Family businesses assuming exemptions cover more than they do
What it helps prevent
- TWC and federal child labor penalties — assessed per violation, per minor
- Minors operating prohibited equipment 'just this once'
- Hour violations that appear the week school resumes
- Age documentation gaps discovered during an investigation
- Supervisors improvising rules they've never been taught
What’s inside
- Part 1 — Minor's Profile
- Part 2 — Age Verification and Documents
- Part 3 — Hours Rules for 14-15 Year Olds
- Part 4 — Rules for 16-17 Year Olds
- Part 5 — Prohibited Duties (all minors under 18)
- Part 6 — Supervisor Controls
Before you process payroll, terminate, classify, deduct, or respond to a claim, get the decision reviewed.
Faulkner HR Solutions helps Texas employers, nonprofits, municipalities, and growing businesses fix the people systems behind recurring workplace problems. If this resource raised a risk flag, do not guess your way through the next step.