Application of the Working Hours Act to Young Employees

A young employee is a person under the age of 18. Working Hours Act and Young Workers' Act apply to young employees and set strict boundaries to the working hours of the young workers. As a starting point, a person aged 15 or more is regarded as an adult for the purposes of working hours and overtime. The working hours shall not exceed 9 hours a day or 48 hours a week. A person under the age of 15 may, however, not undertake overtime work and may only work 7 hours a day. In addition, all restrictions mentioned below must be taken into consideration. Nighttime work is prohibited in respect of both groups of young employees.

The following restrictions apply to young employee’s working hours and their placement:

Regular working hours:

• for persons aged 15-17, a maximum of 8h/day and 40h/week (the working hours may be extended with special permission if required for professional development)

• persons of school age during term-time; days off: maximum of 7h/day, school days: maximum of 2h/day, total weekly working hours: maximum of 12h/week, combined hours spent at school and work may not exceed 8h/day

• persons under 15 years of age during holidays: maximum of 7h/day, maximum of 35 h/week

Overtime:

• for persons aged 13-14, prohibited

• for persons aged 15-17, at most 80h/year or with special permission + 40h/year

• 15–17year-olds may, however, not work more than 9h/day and 48h/week

The work must be undertaken at the following times:

• 13-14-year-olds, 8am-8pm, or for a weighty reason 6am-8pm and until 11pm in respect of domestic work

• 15-17-year-olds, 6am-10pm and until 11pm in respect of domestic work

• 15–17-year-olds may work until 12am in two-shift work for the purposes of obtaining a vocational education

Lunch hour/Daily rest:

• 30min for both age groups if the working hours exceed 4h 30min/day

Uninterrupted daily rest:

• 13-14-year-olds, 14h/day

• 15-17-year-olds, 12h/day

Uninterrupted weekly rest:

• 38h/week for both age groups