The Department of Labor has established standards that apply to youth workers. These standards must be followed by you and your employers. 
 
Your Rights

• You have the right to be compensated according to applicable wage laws for work that you do.
• You have the right to a written paystub for all work that you do that includes your hourly rate, number of hours worked, work period, employers contact information and any itemized deductions.
• During the MBSYEP program you have a right to a 30- minute lunch break if you work more than six hours

Things You Should Know
 
Work Permits: If you under 18 years old then a work permit is required to have a job.  You must get a work permit from your school. Talk with your school counselor. If you are 14-16 then you must have your parent or guardian’s signature. If you are homeless please talk with your Homeless Liaison for guidance.
 
Wages:  DC’s new minimum wage of $10.50/hour (will increase to $11.50 on July 1, 2016) does not apply to all DC employees.  There are categories of employees who can be paid the federal minimum wage rate of $7.25/hour such as:

1. New Employees: You can be paid the federal minimum wage of $7.25/hour for the first 90 calendar days that you are working. After this 90-day period you should be paid the DC minimum wage of $10.50/hour unless there is another exception that you fall under.
2. Students Employed by colleges and universities: You can be paid the federal minimum wage of $7.25/hour
3. Minors: If you are under the age of 18 years old you can be paid the federal minimum wage of $7.25/hour.
4. Employment Training Programs & Stipends: Wage rates do not apply if you are participating in an “employment program.” These programs are permitted to pay an hourly stipend less than the DC minimum wage of $10.50/hour.
5. Tipped Employee: If you work in certain “tipped wage industries” then you may be paid less than the minimum wage as long as you can make enough in tips to make up the difference. The minimum tipped rate is $2.77/hour. 

Age & Hour Restrictions:  There are federal employment rules that can affect the type of jobs that you can work, the wages that you can be paid and the number of hours that you can work.
 
Age: Under 14 years old
Restrictions:  Your job options (outside of farm work) are extremely limited. You are allowed to work certain positions such as delivering newspapers, completing chores for neighbors (shoveling snow/raking leaves/house work in private homes), or baby-sitting.
 
Time Restrictions: You are allowed to work outside of school hours in non-manufacturing and non-hazardous jobs for limited periods of times and with specific conditions.
 
Work Permit:  Not Applicable
 
Age:  14-15 years old
Restrictions:  Your job options (outside of farm work) are extremely limited. You are allowed to work certain positions such as delivering newspapers, completing chores for neighbors (shoveling snow/raking leaves/house work in private homes), or baby-sitting.
 
Time Restrictions:

1.  No more than six (6) consecutive days a week
2. No more than 48 hours a week
3. No more than 8 hours’ day
4. School Year: not before 7am or after 7pm
5. Summer (6/1-Labor Day): Not before 7am or after 9am

Work Permit:  YES—must be signed by parent or guardian (if homeless or have issues talk with your school counselor or Homeless Liaison)
 
Age: 16-17 years old
Restrictions:  You are at the basic minimum age for working. There are very few exceptions to where and what type of work that you can do outside of certain hazardous occupations. An example of prohibited work is operating a freight or non-automatic elevator in a quarry, tunnel, or doing excavation on a construction site.
 
Time Restrictions:

1. No more than six (6) consecutive days a week
2. No more than 48 hours a week
3. No more than 8 hours’ day

Work Permit:  YES; if you are 16 then you need parental/guardian signature (if homeless or have issues talk with your school counselor or Homeless Liaison)
 
If You Are Having Issues
 
If you are having issues with your employer, then you should first try and talk with your employer to see if you can work things out and resolve the issues. If your employer refuses to pay you for work that you have done then you should contact the DC Department of Employment Services-Labor Standards Bureau to make a claim.  Do not wait because the longer that you wait the less likely that your claim will be resolved.