Michigan House Bill 5594, recently passed, amends the Youth Employment Standards Act to modify the procedures for issuing work permits to minors, modify the hours during which minors younger than 16 are allowed to work, and limit the circumstances under which a deviation can be granted for minors 16 and older.
Currently under the Act, work permits for minor employees are issued and revoked by the chief administrator (or their authorized designee) of the minor’s school district, intermediate school district (ISD), public school academy (PSA), or nonpublic school. The permits are kept on file at the minor’s place of employment and in their permanent school record for the duration of employment, and after the minor terminates employment, their employer must return the work permit to the school administrator.
Beginning October 2, 2026, the responsibility for issuing and revoking work permits is transferred to the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity (LEO) director or their designee. After this date, a minor will generally have to register with LEO before starting work in an occupation regulated by the Youth Employment Standards Act, and the person proposing to employ the minor would generally have to be authorized by LEO and in compliance with the Act. After termination of employment, a minor’s employer must directly notify LEO.
Beginning April 2, 2025, minors under 16 years of age may be employed only as follows under the amended Act:
- During a time that is outside school hours.
- For not more than 3 hours per day during a week when school is in session.
- Between the hours of 7 a.m. and 9 p.m. during the period that begins on June 1 and ends on Labor Day.
- Between the hours of 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. during the period that begins on the date immediately following Labor Day and ends on May 31.
- For not more than 18 hours during a week when school is in session.
- For not more than 40 hours during a week that is not a week when school is in session.
Regarding deviations for minors 16 and older, currently, 16- and 17-year-olds cannot work between 10:30 p.m. (or 11:30 p.m. on weekends and while school is not in session) and 6 a.m. without receiving approval from LEO for a deviation from those hours. The amended Act prohibits a deviation that allows a minor to be employed to work between the hours of midnight and 5 a.m. or that allows a minor to be employed in, about, or in connection with an occupation that is hazardous or injurious to their health or personal well-being.
Click here to access the full text of the amendments.
