Where can I work if I am only 15 years old and live in Andover, MN?

Question

Where can I work if I am only 15 years old and live in Andover, MN?

Answer 1

Ages 14 and 15.

They can be employed in office and clerical work, including operating office machines, but only operating such power-driven machines, not repairing, oiling, adjusting or assisting on such activities. They can cashier, sell, model, produce art work and work in advertising departments, window trimming and comparative shopping. They can also price, mark, and tag, by machine or by hand, as well as assemble, order, pack and shelve.

They can also bag and carry out customers' orders. They can do errand and delivery work by foot, bicycle or public transportation. Clearly, errand and delivery work by motor vehicle would not be permitted. They can perform clean-up work and grounds maintenance and use a vacuum cleaner or floor waxer in their duties, but not a power-driven mower or cutter. This last prohibition on operating lawn and other types of mowers and hedge and other types of grounds maintenance cutters frequently arises in municipal youth employment program placements. The rule is clear. Under federal law, this equipment cannot be used lawfully until the worker is 16 years old, and only in connection with employment at a retail, food service, or gasoline service establishment. Also, some states restrict the use of power mowers and cutters even further, not permitting their use by youngsters until they turn 18.

With some exceptions, kitchen work and other work involved in food and beverage preparation and service are permitted for 14- and 15-year-olds, including the operation of machines and devices used for such work, such as dishwashers, dumbwaiters, toasters, popcorn poppers, milk shake blenders and coffee grinders. Cooking and baking, however, are not permitted.

Certain restrictions concerning cooking and baking and food preparation are so commonly involved in young peoples' work and so detailed that a separate discussion of their actual meaning is required. Although there is a ban on 14- and 15-year-olds working as cooks and bakers, in fact this restriction does not include those types of cooking and baking usually performed in fast food establishments. This is because this prohibition does not apply to cooking and baking at "soda fountains, lunch counters, snack bars or cafeteria serving counters," which were the fast-food establishments of the 1940s when these prohibitions were written. The U.S. Department of Labor has applied this exception to the ban on cooking and baking to fast food establishments, ruling that one of the crucial elements of a worksite that must be present to come within this exception and thereby permit such activity, is that the cooking and baking must be able to be seen from the front service counter. More here:

http://ncrve.berkeley.edu/CenterFocus/cf...