Summer Hiring and Youth Employment Rules: What Michigan Employers Need to Know

Summer is right around the corner, and with it comes one of the busiest hiring seasons of the year for many Michigan businesses. Restaurants, retail shops, camps, and landscaping companies are gearing up to bring on seasonal help, and a good portion of that workforce will be under 18. Before you post that job listing, it's worth making sure your hiring process is set up to comply with both federal and Michigan rules for minor employees. The requirements are more layered than most employers realize, and mistakes in this area can be costly.

The Federal Baseline: FLSA Child Labor Rules

The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) sets the floor for youth employment nationwide, and Michigan employers must follow whichever standard (federal or state) is stricter.

Under the FLSA, 14 is the minimum age for most non-agricultural employment. Children under 14 generally cannot be employed in covered jobs, with limited exceptions for things like newspaper delivery or acting.

Here's how the federal rules break down by age:

14 and 15-year-olds may work outside of school hours in certain non-hazardous jobs. During the school year, they can work up to 3 hours on a school day and up to 8 hours on a non-school day, with permitted hours between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. From June 1 through Labor Day, that window extends to 9 p.m.

16 and 17-year-olds may work unlimited hours in non-hazardous jobs under federal law, though Michigan adds its own restrictions on top of that.

No one under 18 may work in occupations the Secretary of Labor has declared hazardous. That list includes jobs like roofing, mining, operating certain heavy machinery, and working with explosives, and it applies regardless of how many hours the minor works.

Michigan's Rules: Work Permits, Hours, and Breaks

Michigan's Youth Employment Standards Act (YESA) adds requirements on top of the federal rules, and there are some meaningful changes underway that employers should know about right now.

Work Permits

Under current Michigan law, minors under 18 cannot begin work, paid or unpaid, until the employer has obtained and kept on file a valid work permit issued by a school issuing officer. The permit must be in place before the minor's first day, with no exceptions. This applies to homeschooled students and out-of-state residents working in Michigan as well.

There is one notable exemption: a minor 16 or older who has completed high school graduation requirements or holds a GED is not required to have a work permit, provided they give the employer a copy of their certification.

A Big Change Coming in October 2026

Michigan employers should be aware that the work permit process is about to change significantly. Starting October 2, 2026, responsibility for issuing and managing minor work permits transfers from schools to the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity (LEO). A centralized online registration system will go live, requiring both minors and employers to register with the state. Employers must be authorized and compliant to hire minors, must notify LEO when a minor's employment ends, and may be publicly listed in a state-maintained database of authorized youth employers. Until that date, the current school-issued permit process remains in effect.

Hour Restrictions

For minors under 16, Michigan allows up to 10 hours of work per day and 48 hours per week when school is not in session, up to 6 days per week. During the school year, work is permitted only outside school hours, no earlier than 3 p.m. on weekdays, with a combined cap of 48 hours of school and work per week.

As of March 31, 2026, work-hour limits for 14 and 15-year-olds were updated to align more closely with federal standards. During school sessions from Labor Day through May 31, minors in this age group may work between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m., for no more than 3 hours per day and 18 hours per week.

Break Requirements

Michigan requires employers to provide minors with an unpaid meal period of at least 30 minutes if the minor works 5 consecutive hours in a shift. This is a firm requirement, not a best practice, and it applies regardless of what your standard break policy looks like for adult employees.

Supervision

An adult (someone 18 or older) must be on-site supervising whenever a minor is working. This is easy to overlook in smaller operations where managers sometimes leave early or cover multiple locations.

Wages: Training Wage vs. Minimum Wage

This is an area where employers sometimes get tripped up, so it's worth being clear.

Michigan's current minimum wage is $13.73 per hour for most employees. However, there is a training wage provision: employers can pay $4.25 per hour to newly hired employees under the age of 20 during their first 90 calendar days of employment. Not every employer uses this, but it is legal under both federal and state law.

One important note: 14 and 15-year-olds are not covered by Michigan's youth minimum wage provision, so employers must pay them at least the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour.

After the 90-day training period, or once the employee turns 20, the standard minimum wage applies.

Record Keeping and Posting

Employers must keep proof of age, work permits or exemption documents, and time records (including daily hours, shift start and end times, and 30-minute breaks) for at least one year. These records must be available to the Michigan Wage and Hour Division upon request. Other wage laws may require you to keep payroll records for up to three years, so when in doubt, keep them longer.

Michigan also requires employers to display the Youth Employment Standards Act poster in any area where minors work.

Quick Reference Checklist for Summer Hiring

• Work permit is on file before day one (current school-issued process still applies through October 2026)

• Hours comply with state and federal limits for the minor's age group

• Scheduling accounts for the 30-minute break requirement after 5 consecutive hours

• An adult supervisor is present whenever the minor is working

• Wage rate is correct (training wage only applies to employees under 20 in their first 90 days)

• YESA poster is posted in the work area

• Time records include daily hours, shift start/end times, and break times

Summer is a great time to bring in young workers, and many of them will turn into long-term employees. Setting up a compliant process now makes for a smoother season and a better experience all around.

Sources: Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity – Work Permits | Michigan Youth Employment Standards Act FAQ | U.S. DOL FLSA Fact Sheet #43 | Small Business Association of Michigan – Michigan Youth Employment Law Update