Employment of Minors: What Rules Apply to Teenagers' Work

Legislation provides special working conditions for minor employees — from restrictions on working hours to prohibitions on performing hazardous work. This was reminded by the State Labor Service.

Minors can work, but special guarantees and restrictions are established for them. The main rules regarding employment, working hours, wages, vacations, and dismissal are explained in materials about the specifics of minor labor.

At what age can you work

As a general rule, persons from 16 years old can be employed.

At the same time, as an exception:

from 15 years old, minors can work with the consent of one parent or a person who replaces them;

from 14 years old, only light work is allowed during free time from studying and also with the consent of one parent or a person who replaces them.

For employees aged 16 to 18, additional guarantees are established:

• no probation period is set (except for exceptions during martial law);
• a mandatory preliminary medical examination, and thereafter until reaching 21 years old, a medical examination is conducted annually;
• the employment contract must be concluded in writing (during martial law — by agreement of the parties);
• the employer must keep a special record of employees under 18 years old.

How many hours can minors work

Reduced working hours are established for teenagers.

Employees aged:

from 15 to 16 years, as well as students aged 14–15 during holidays — can work a maximum of 24 hours per week;

from 16 to 18 years — a maximum of 36 hours per week.

If a minor combines work with study, the working hours are even shorter:

for persons 15–16 years old — a maximum of 12 hours per week;

for persons 16–18 years old — a maximum of 18 hours per week.

How minors' work is paid

With reduced working hours, wages are paid in the same amount as adult employees of the corresponding categories for a full working day.

If students work during free time from studying, payment is made proportionally to the time worked or depending on output.

What vacation is provided for minors

Minor employees have the right to an annual paid vacation lasting 31 calendar days.

It:

is granted at a convenient time for the employee;

can be granted even before completing six months of work;

cannot be replaced by monetary compensation;

cannot be withheld by the employer.

What work is prohibited for minors

Teenagers cannot be involved in:

heavy work, work with harmful or dangerous conditions, and underground work;

night work (from 10:00 PM to 6:00 AM), overtime work, and work on weekends;

the sale, storage, or transportation of alcoholic beverages, tobacco products, electronic cigarettes, and explosive substances.

It is also prohibited to involve minors in work exclusively related to lifting and moving heavy objects. Such work can only be performed in the absence of medical contraindications, no more than one-third of the working time per shift, and teenagers under 15 years old are not allowed to perform it.

Features of dismissal of minors

Dismissing a minor employee at the initiative of the employer is possible only with the consent of the district or city child services.

In cases of staff reduction, enterprise liquidation, unsuitability for the position, or reinstatement of a previous employee, dismissal is allowed only as an exception and with mandatory subsequent employment.

Parents, guardians, adoptive parents, or control authorities may demand termination of employment if the work threatens the minor’s health or violates their legal interests.

Thus, work by minors in Ukraine is allowed, but employers must follow special rules aimed at protecting the health, safety, and rights of children.

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