A 15-year-old can work up to 18 hours per week in Massachusetts while school is in session and up to 40 hours per week when school is on break. On top of the weekly cap, state and federal law set daily limits, time-of-day limits, and a six-day-per-week ceiling, and whichever rule is stricter is the one that applies.
Hours Allowed During the School Year
When school is in session, the daily and weekly caps are tight. A 15-year-old can work no more than 3 hours on a school day and no more than 8 hours on a Saturday, Sunday, or holiday that falls during the school year.1Mass.gov. Work Hours Restrictions for Minors The weekly total cannot exceed 18 hours.2Mass.gov. Massachusetts Laws Regulating Minors’ Work Hours
Working during public school hours is not allowed. The only exception is a school-approved career or work-experience program, which may permit up to 23 hours per week during the school day.1Mass.gov. Work Hours Restrictions for Minors Those programs run through the school itself, not through a direct arrangement between the student and an employer.
Hours Allowed When School Is Out
During summer, winter, and other school vacations, a 15-year-old can work up to 8 hours per day and up to 40 hours per week, spread across no more than 6 days.1Mass.gov. Work Hours Restrictions for Minors The seventh day off is required, not optional.
The Massachusetts statute in Section 65 reads as if it allows up to 48 hours per week for workers under 16.3General Court of Massachusetts. Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 149 Section 65 The federal Fair Labor Standards Act caps the week at 40, and because the stricter rule controls, 40 is the real ceiling.4U.S. Department of Labor. Fact Sheet 43 – Child Labor Provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act for Nonagricultural Occupations
What Time of Day a 15-Year-Old Can Work
During the school year, shifts must fall between 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m.2Mass.gov. Massachusetts Laws Regulating Minors’ Work Hours Massachusetts law by itself would allow a 6:30 a.m. start, but federal law sets the floor at 7:00 a.m. and wins out.4U.S. Department of Labor. Fact Sheet 43 – Child Labor Provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act for Nonagricultural Occupations
From July 1 through Labor Day, the evening cutoff moves to 9:00 p.m. The 7:00 a.m. morning start does not change.3General Court of Massachusetts. Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 149 Section 65 Federal law extends the evening hours earlier in the year, starting June 1, but Massachusetts is stricter and applies.
Meal Breaks
Massachusetts requires at least a 30-minute meal break for every 6 hours worked in a calendar day, during which the worker must be free of all duties.5U.S. Department of Labor. Minimum Length of Meal Period Required Under State Law for Adult Employees in Private Sector A 3-hour school-day shift won’t trigger it. A 6-hour or longer shift on a weekend or during vacation will.
The Work Permit Comes First
Before a 15-year-old can start a job in Massachusetts, they need a youth employment permit. This applies to every worker under 18.6Mass.gov. Youth Employment Permit Information The steps are:
- Get a job offer. The employer completes the “Promise of Employment” section of the application, listing the location and duties.7Mass.gov. Employment Permit Application for 14- Through 17-Year-Olds
- A parent, guardian, or custodian signs the application. The minor signs it as well.
- For 14- and 15-year-olds, a physician must certify sound health on a certificate issued within the previous 12 months.
- Bring proof of age, such as a birth certificate or passport.
- Submit everything to the superintendent of schools (or a designated agent) for the city or town where the minor lives or attends school. The superintendent issues the permit.6Mass.gov. Youth Employment Permit Information
A permit is tied to one job at one location. Change employers, or even change locations under the same employer, and the whole process starts over.6Mass.gov. Youth Employment Permit Information
Jobs a 15-Year-Old Cannot Do
The hour limits only matter for jobs a 15-year-old is legally allowed to hold, and the list of off-limits work is long. Massachusetts bans workers under 16 from operating, cleaning, or repairing power-driven machinery (with narrow exceptions for basic office equipment and some retail or food-service machines); from kitchen equipment such as fryolators, rotisseries, broilers, pressure cookers, and power-driven food slicers or choppers; from ladders and scaffolds; from construction, transportation, communications, and public utilities work; from loading or unloading trucks, railroad cars, or conveyors; and from hazardous electrical equipment. Every job prohibited to workers under 18, including roofing, demolition, excavation, and logging, is also off-limits.8Mass.gov. Prohibited Jobs for Minors
Federal rules add more, including a broad prohibition on manufacturing and processing work, operating motor vehicles, baking, and working in freezers or meat coolers.9eCFR. Occupations That Are Prohibited to Minors 14 and 15 Years of Age In practice, 15-year-olds work in retail, food service without cooking or fryer duties, office roles, and similar low-risk jobs.
Pay
Massachusetts has no youth sub-minimum wage. A 15-year-old must be paid at least the full state minimum wage of $15.00 per hour, which has been in effect since January 1, 2023.10Mass.gov. Massachusetts Law About Minimum Wage That rate is higher than the federal minimum, so it is the one that applies.