Oregon child labor laws set a minimum working age of 14, cap how many hours teens can work on school days, ban minors from a long list of hazardous jobs, and require every employer of a 14- to 17-year-old to hold an annual Employment Certificate from the Bureau of Labor and Industries. Civil penalties run up to $1,000 per violation, and up to $10,000 per violation when a minor suffers a serious injury, illness, or death on the job.1Justia Law. Oregon Administrative Rules 839-019-0025
Minimum Working Age
A minor generally must be at least 14 to hold a job in Oregon.2Bureau of Labor and Industries. Minor Workers Children aged 12 to 14 can get a special BOLI permit to work during school vacations of two weeks or longer, but the agency closely reviews the type of work and its effect on the child.3Oregon State Legislature. Oregon Revised Statutes 653.320 – Employment of Children Under 14 Years; Exceptions No child under 14 may be employed while public schools are in session in their district.
Agriculture and entertainment are the two fields where children under 14 may sometimes work legally, through a separate permit from BOLI’s Wage and Hour Division.2Bureau of Labor and Industries. Minor Workers
How Many Hours a Minor Can Work
Ages 14 and 15
During the school year, a 14- or 15-year-old may work no more than three hours on a school day and no more than eight hours on a non-school day, with a weekly cap of 18 hours. Hours must fall between 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m.4Bureau of Labor and Industries. Minor Workers – Section: Working Hours
When school is out, the weekly cap rises to 40 hours. From June 1 through Labor Day, the evening cutoff extends to 9:00 p.m. Outside that summer window, the 7:00 p.m. cutoff applies even on non-school days.4Bureau of Labor and Industries. Minor Workers – Section: Working Hours
Ages 16 and 17
Sixteen- and 17-year-olds can work any hours of the day but are capped at 44 hours per week.5Oregon Secretary of State. Oregon Administrative Rule 839-021-0067 – Hours of Employment for Minors 16 and 17 Years of Age That weekly cap does not apply to minors working at organized youth camps or in agricultural jobs. Federal law places no weekly limit on this age group, so Oregon’s tighter rule controls for employers in the state.
Jobs Minors Cannot Do
Oregon has adopted the federal hazardous-occupation orders in 29 CFR Part 570 for 16- and 17-year-olds.6Oregon Secretary of State. Oregon Administrative Rule 839-021-0104 – Occupations Particularly Hazardous or Detrimental to the Health or Well-Being of Minors Under the Age of 18 No one under 18 may work in jobs involving:
- Manufacturing, storing, or handling explosives
- Power-driven woodworking machines such as saws, sanders, and lathes
- Operating forklifts, cranes, and most freight elevators
- Mining, coal mines, and timber-related occupations
- Exposure to radioactive materials or ionizing radiation
- Power-driven slaughtering or meat-packing machinery
- Roofing, demolition, and excavation work
The full federal list contains 17 hazardous-occupation orders.7eCFR. Child Labor Regulations, Orders and Statements of Interpretation Employers unsure whether a task qualifies should check with BOLI before assigning it.
Fourteen- and 15-year-olds face a shorter list of allowed jobs. They cannot operate commercial laundry equipment, cook over open flames, or work in construction or manufacturing. They also may not work around hazardous chemicals or operate most types of powered machinery.
Pay and Breaks
Oregon has no subminimum or training wage for young workers. The minimum wage is the same for adults and minors.8Bureau of Labor and Industries. Oregon Minimum Wage From July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026, the rates are $16.30 per hour in the Portland metro area, $15.05 in standard counties, and $14.05 in non-urban counties. The rate depends on where the business is located, not where the worker lives, and the figures adjust annually for inflation.9Oregon State Legislature. Oregon Code 653.025 – Minimum Wage Rate; Rules
Minors get slightly better break protection than adults. Rest breaks are 15 minutes rather than 10, paid, and required for every four-hour segment of work. They cannot be combined with meal periods or skipped.10Bureau of Labor and Industries. Meals and Breaks
Shifts of six hours or more require a 30-minute unpaid meal period. For a six- to seven-hour shift, the meal break must start after the second hour and end before the start of the fifth hour. For shifts over seven hours, it must start after the third hour and end before the start of the sixth.10Bureau of Labor and Industries. Meals and Breaks Fourteen- and 15-year-olds cannot waive or shorten these meal periods under any circumstances.
The Employer’s Annual Employment Certificate
Every Oregon employer that hires anyone aged 14 through 17 must obtain an annual Employment Certificate from BOLI before the minor starts work.11Bureau of Labor and Industries. Employment Certificate Application Oregon does not issue individual work permits to minors. One certificate covers all minors the business employs, including across multiple locations.2Bureau of Labor and Industries. Minor Workers
The application asks the employer to estimate how many minors it plans to hire that year, list the specific job duties, and identify any equipment or machinery those workers will use. BOLI denies applications that list prohibited hazardous tasks. The agency’s Child Labor Unit reviews each application, and once approved, the employer must post the validated certificate in a conspicuous location where all employees can see it.2Bureau of Labor and Industries. Minor Workers The certificate is valid for one year and must be renewed annually. Employers also need to verify the age of every minor they hire, though no specific document is mandated.
Family Farms and the Entertainment Industry
Minors of any age may work in any job on a farm owned or operated by their parents.2Bureau of Labor and Industries. Minor Workers Agricultural work generally has no restriction on start and end times, so long as the work does not occur while school is in session. Parents who employ their own children are also exempt from the civil penalties that apply to other employers.12Oregon State Legislature. Oregon Revised Statutes 653.365 – Civil Penalty Exemption for Unlawful Employment of Minors by Parents The hazardous-occupation bans still apply regardless of who the employer is.
Film, television, theater, and advertising productions follow a separate BOLI permit scheme. Workers aged 14 through 17 use the standard Annual Employment Certificate; a separate permit is required for anyone under 14 in productions lasting more than five days. In entertainment, 14- to 17-year-olds may work up to 11 hours per day, no more than six consecutive days, starting no earlier than 5:30 a.m. and ending no later than 12:30 a.m. School-night curfews still apply: 9:30 p.m. for 14-year-olds and 10:00 p.m. for 15-year-olds. Makeup, wardrobe, rehearsal, and transportation between locations all count as paid work time, and every minor must get a 12-hour rest period between workdays. For minors under 16 who miss more than five school days, the employer must provide an average of three hours of instruction per day.13Bureau of Labor and Industries. State Wage and Hour Laws Applicable to Minors Employed in the Entertainment Industry
Penalties for Violations
BOLI can impose civil penalties of up to $1,000 for each violation of Oregon’s child labor statutes or administrative rules.14Oregon Revised Statutes. Oregon Code 653.370 – Civil Penalty for Unlawful Employment of Minors The per-violation structure adds up quickly. An employer who runs three minors past the weekly hour cap in the same pay period can face three separate penalties.
When a minor suffers a serious injury, illness, or death while performing duties in violation of child labor rules, the ceiling rises to $10,000 per violation.1Justia Law. Oregon Administrative Rules 839-019-0025 Operating without a valid Employment Certificate, failing to post it, or assigning a minor to prohibited work each qualify as a separate violation. These penalties come on top of any other legal consequences, including potential workers’ compensation liability for a minor injured in a job they should never have been assigned.
Where Federal Law Comes In
The federal Fair Labor Standards Act sets a national floor for child labor protections. When Oregon’s rules are stricter, Oregon applies; when federal rules are tougher, those apply. Whichever law protects the minor more wins.7eCFR. Child Labor Regulations, Orders and Statements of Interpretation Because Oregon has formally adopted the 17 federal hazardous-occupation orders for minors under 18, there is no gap between the two systems on dangerous work.6Oregon Secretary of State. Oregon Administrative Rule 839-021-0104 – Occupations Particularly Hazardous or Detrimental to the Health or Well-Being of Minors Under the Age of 18 Employers subject to both laws must follow both, and in most areas Oregon’s rules are the more protective ones.