Reminder when employing young workers
Employing Under 18s
Below are some useful hints and tips as to the do’s and don’ts in terms of the Licensing Act 2003, when employing someone under the age of 18:
- A person under the age of 18 is unable to sell alcohol from behind the bar unsupervised.
- A person under the age of 18 must be supervised, with each and every sale, by a person who is over the age of 18, and who should have the authority from a Personal Licence Holder to supervise such sales.
- A person under the age of 18 is not prevented from taking an order for alcohol at a table or delivering the order, as long as the alcohol itself is dispensed by a person over the age of 18.
Fines for failure to comply the law relating to the sale of alcohol by persons under 18 are up to £200.
Employing Under 16s
Children can work part time from the age of 14 but there are several restrictions on when and where children are allowed to work.
Children are not allowed to work:
- without an employment permit issued by the education department of the local council (if this is required by local bylaws)
- during school hours
- before 7am or after 7pm
- for more than one hour before school (unless local bylaws allow it)
- for more than 4 hours without taking a break of at least 1 hour
During term time, children can only work a maximum of 12 hours a week. This includes:
- a maximum of 2 hours on school days and Sundays
- a maximum of 5 hours on Saturdays for 14-year-olds, or 8 hours for 15 to 16-year-olds
During school holidays, 14-year-olds are only allowed to work a maximum of 25 hours a week. This includes:
- a maximum of 5 hours on weekdays and Saturdays
- a maximum of 2 hours on Sunday
During school holidays, 15 to 16-year-olds can only work a maximum of 35 hours a week. This includes:
- a maximum of 8 hours on weekdays and Saturdays
- a maximum of 2 hours on Sunday
Please check with your local authority for the rules and regulations before employing anyone under the age of 16 as rules do vary between each local authority area.
If a child is working without a child employment permit, there’s a risk that the employer will not be insured against accidents involving the child.