A contractor building homes in our area says he will hire me to run errands and help with cleanup this summer but I need to get a work permit and OK from my parents.
Where do I get this permit?
I didn't think it would be cool to ask the contractor, so can you help me?
ANSWER: Minors, those 14 and 15, need to pick up an application form at the Child Labor Office, Room 340, 830 Punchbowl Street, or at a satellite city hall.
The application must be filled out by the employer, signed by the parent or guardian, and returned to the Child Labor Office with a document proving the minor's age.
Among documents accepted as proof are a birth certificate, school record, baptismal certificate, passport, and adoption papers.
The state Department of Labor then gives the employer a "certificate of employment" for you to work there.
Between June 1 and the day before Labor Day, you are allowed to work only between the hours of 6 a.m. and 9 p.m.; no more than 6 consecutive days; no more than 40 hours a week; no more than 8 hours a day not counting rest periods and meals; and no more than 10 hours a day counting both work and school, if you are required to be in school.
For older teens, those ages 16 and 17, only a certificate of age is needed from the state before starting work. To get that certificate, take one of the proofs of your age to the Child Labor Office.