Working Under Eighteen
Labor Law § 143 — twenty-eight hours a school week at sixteen and seventeen, and ten at night before school
In New York, the Labor Law sets hours for minors fourteen and fifteen and for those sixteen and seventeen, and both sets change with whether school is in session.
| Fourteen and fifteen | The limit |
|---|---|
| Fourteen and fifteenA school day | The limitNot more than three hours |
| Fourteen and fifteenA day school is not in session | The limitNot more than eight hours |
| Fourteen and fifteenA school week | The limitNot more than eighteen hours, and not more than six days |
| Fourteen and fifteenThe window | The limitNot before seven in the morning or after seven in the evening |
| Fourteen and fifteenWhen school is out | The limitNot more than eight hours a day or forty hours a week; until nine in the evening from the twenty-first of June to Labor Day |
| Sixteen and seventeen, in school while it is in session | The limit |
|---|---|
| Sixteen and seventeen, in school while it is in sessionA day before a school day | The limitNot more than four hours, other than a Sunday or holiday |
| Sixteen and seventeen, in school while it is in sessionFriday, Saturday, Sunday or a holiday | The limitNot more than eight hours |
| Sixteen and seventeen, in school while it is in sessionA school week | The limitNot more than twenty-eight hours, and not more than six days |
| Sixteen and seventeen, in school while it is in sessionNight before a school day | The limitNot after ten at night, or midnight with a parent's written consent and the school's certificate of satisfactory academic standing |
| Sixteen and seventeen, in school while it is in sessionMorning | The limitNot before six |
| Sixteen and seventeen, school not in session | The limit |
|---|---|
| Sixteen and seventeen, school not in sessionA day | The limitNot more than eight hours, though up to ten on one day and nine on four others to make a shorter week |
| Sixteen and seventeen, school not in sessionA week | The limitNot more than forty-eight hours, and not more than six days |
| Sixteen and seventeen, school not in sessionNight | The limitNot after midnight or before six in the morning |
Newspaper carriers, farm laborers, child performers and models, camp counselors and the seasonal exceptions are not all on this page. How these rules apply to a particular job, and the federal rules that may also apply, are questions for the state's labor department or a licensed New York attorney.
Sources for this section (2)
- Labor Law § 142 — Hours of work for minors fourteen and fifteen years of age
- Labor Law § 143 — Hours of work for minors sixteen and seventeen years of age
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of October 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed New York attorney.