Before a teen starts, verify the work location, age, and the specific permit or certificate required by the named state agency.
Key takeaways
- Washington: Secure a current minor work permit endorsement for every specific location where the teen will work, as required by the Washington Department of Labor and Industries.
- Washington: Complete a parent/school authorization form, or a parent authorization for summer work form, for each minor before they begin work, according to the Washington Department of Labor and Industries.
- California: Employers must possess a valid Permit to Employ and Work prior to permitting a minor to work, as stated by the California Department of Industrial Relations.
- New York: Individuals aged 14-17 need an employment certificate, also called working papers, in order to hold a job in New York State, according to the New York Department of Labor.
- Oregon: All employers must have a certificate to employ minors under 18 years of age, according to the Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries.
In Washington State, employers must follow specific rules when hiring employees under the age of 18, according to Washington Department of Labor and Industries.
Check the work location, age, and the named state agency’s permit or certificate requirements
The first step is confirming that the teenager’s age and the physical work location align with the jurisdiction’s specific requirements. You cannot assume a permit from one state applies to work performed in another.
When state and federal standards differ, employers must follow the one that is most protective of the minor and has the higher standard, according to Washington Department of Labor and Industries. This rule applies to the specific jurisdiction named by the source. You must identify which standard is higher for your specific situation before assigning duties.
Do not treat this paperwork as settling federal child-labor duties, hours, or hazardous job restrictions. Those are separate checks. A work permit does not automatically make a hazardous assignment lawful. You must verify the specific duties against the agency’s list of prohibited or restricted work for that age group.
Start by writing down the exact work location and the teenager’s age. Then, look up the specific agency page for that state. Identify the exact document name, such as a permit, authorization, or certificate. Do not proceed to scheduling until you have the correct document name for that specific state and age combination.
Washington’s location endorsement and parent/school authorization
According to Washington Department of Labor and Industries, employers must have a current minor work permit endorsement for each location where minors are employed. This endorsement is tied to the specific work site, not the individual teenager. If you operate multiple locations, verify that the endorsement covers the exact address where the teen will perform their first shift.
For each individual minor, the employer must complete a parent/school authorization form, or a parent authorization for summer work form, before the teen begins work, according to Washington Department of Labor and Industries. Ensure all four parties sign before assigning any duties.
A critical renewal rule applies to these forms. All parent/school authorization forms expire each new school year on the 30th day of September and must be renewed annually, according to Washington Department of Labor and Industries. If a teen’s authorization was signed in the previous school year, it is invalid for the new year even if the teen remains under 18. Check the signature date against the current school year before the first shift.
California’s permit and New York’s employment certificate
California and New York use different documents to authorize teenage employment. In California, the requirement centers on a Permit to Employ and Work, while New York relies on an employment certificate, also known as working papers. The California Department of Industrial Relations states that, except in limited circumstances defined in law and summarized in the Child Labor Law Booklet, all minors under 18 years of age employed in the state of California must have a permit to work, according to California Department of Industrial Relations. Before a minor begins working, the employer must possess a valid Permit to Employ and Work, according to California Department of Industrial Relations. The form must be completed by the minor and the employer and signed by the minor's parent or guardian and the employer, according to California Department of Industrial Relations. Permits issued during the school year expire five days after the opening of the next succeeding school year and must be renewed, according to California Department of Industrial Relations.
In New York, the New York Department of Labor specifies that if you are aged 14-17 you will need an employment certificate, also called working papers, in order to hold a job in New York State, according to New York Department of Labor. School officials issue all working papers, except for child performer permits, according to New York Department of Labor. Your employer must keep Student Non-Factory, Student General, Full-Time, and Limited Employment Certificates on file at the place where you work, as long as you keep the job, according to New York Department of Labor.
The key distinction for a hiring manager is the issuer and the storage requirement. These are separate jurisdiction rules; a California permit does not satisfy New York’s working papers requirement, and a New York employment certificate does not satisfy California’s permit requirement.
For the next teen hire, confirm whether the work location is in California or New York, verify the teen’s age against the 14-17 or under-18 thresholds, and obtain the correct document from the proper issuer before the first shift.
Filled reference table of four publishers’ hiring-paperwork rules
These are separate jurisdictional rules; a document from one state does not satisfy the requirements of another.
| Publisher | Jurisdiction | Paperwork Type | Key Requirement | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington Department of Labor and Industries | Washington | Employer Location Endorsement | Employers must have a current minor work permit endorsement for each location where minors are employed. | Washington Department of Labor and Industries |
| California Department of Industrial Relations | California | Individual Work Permit | Except in limited circumstances defined in law and summarized in the Child Labor Law Booklet, all minors under 18 years of age employed in the state of California must have a permit to work. | California Department of Industrial Relations |
| New York Department of Labor | New York | Employment Certificate | If you are aged 14-17 you will need an employment certificate, also called working papers, in order to hold a job in New York State. | New York Department of Labor |
| Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries | Oregon | Employer Certificate | All employers must have a certificate to employ minors under 18 years of age. | Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries |
Washington requires an endorsement tied to the employer’s physical location, as stated by the Washington Department of Labor and Industries. California requires an individual permit for the minor, with exceptions defined in law and summarized in the Child Labor Law Booklet, according to the California Department of Industrial Relations. New York requires an employment certificate, also called working papers, for individuals aged 14-17, according to the New York Department of Labor. Oregon requires the employer to hold a certificate to employ minors under 18, according to the Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries.
These paperwork items are separate from federal child-labor duties, hour restrictions, hazardous job prohibitions, and agricultural exceptions. The presence of a permit, endorsement, or certificate does not automatically make a specific schedule or hazardous assignment lawful. The California permit requirement does not settle questions about hours or hazardous work. You must check these separate rules independently.
For the next teen hire, write the work state and age on a checklist and identify the exact permit, authorization, or employer certificate named by that agency before assigning work.
Oregon’s employer certificate and the separate break rules
Oregon operates under an employer-based system rather than an individual permit model for teenagers. According to the Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries, all employers must have a certificate to employ minors under 18 years of age. This requirement applies to the hiring entity, not the specific teen worker. The same source clarifies that minors age 14-17 are not issued individual work permits in Oregon. Therefore, when arranging a non-agricultural job for a teenager in this state, your focus shifts from collecting a personal document from the teen to securing the employer certificate for your business.
While the certificate authorizes the employment relationship, it does not dictate the specific conditions of the work shift. Oregon has separate rules governing rest and meal periods for minor workers. According to the Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries, minor workers must get 30+ minute meal breaks if they work six or more hours in one work period. Additionally, the source states that minor workers also must get 15+ minute paid rest breaks during each four hours (or major portion) of work time. These break requirements are distinct from the authorization to hire. A valid employer certificate does not exempt you from scheduling these specific rest intervals.
See Meal break rules in 4 states for shift handoffs when the same shift also needs a meal-break check.
When planning the first shift for a teen in Oregon, treat the employer certificate and the break schedule as two separate compliance items. The certificate validates your right to employ the minor, while the break rules define how their time must be structured. Do not assume that holding the certificate settles all minor-worker conditions. The break rules describe minor-worker conditions, not authorization to assign any duties.
Illustrative example of a 6-hour shift
A lead schedules one minor, age 15, for 6 hours at one site and writes the state, the age, and the document name before the shift. On an Oregon site, the employer certificate and the breaks stay separate: a meal break of 30 minutes or more on that shift of six or more hours, and a paid rest break of 15 minutes or more during each four hours of work time. On a Washington site, the lead checks the location endorsement and the parent/school authorization before the shift. The figures are round and name no workplace.
Write down the paperwork before the first shift
Enter the work location, the minor’s age, and the exact permit or certificate named by the agency. Record the expiration date to track renewal requirements. Treat the step as done once the document is on file. This note supports the primary next action of identifying the exact paperwork before work begins. Keep that note with your hiring records. Use the note to verify that the required documentation matches the specific jurisdiction and age group.
See Sick time rules for new hires in 4 states for a separate new-hire sick-time check.
Teen-hiring paperwork FAQ
Does Oregon give each teenager an individual work permit?
No, minors age 14-17 are not issued individual work permits in Oregon, according to Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries. This rule applies specifically to the minor-worker conditions described by the agency. Employers should verify the specific employer certificate requirements for their location before assigning duties.
Does Washington require an endorsement for each work location?
Yes, employers must have a current minor work permit endorsement for each location where minors are employed, according to Washington Department of Labor and Industries. The endorsement is tied to the specific physical site of employment. If a minor works at multiple sites, each site requires its own current endorsement.
Who completes and signs California’s Permit to Employ and Work?
The minor and the employer complete the form, and the minor's parent or guardian and the employer sign it, according to California Department of Industrial Relations.
Where must a New York employer keep the employment certificate?
Employers must keep Student Non-Factory, Student General, Full-Time, and Limited Employment Certificates on file at the place where the minor works, as long as the minor keeps the job, according to New York Department of Labor. The storage location is tied to the specific work site. Keep the physical document accessible at that location for the duration of the employment.