Working Under Eighteen
Wis. Stat. 103.68 — 18 hours a school week under 16, and a meal period after 6 hours under 18
In Wisconsin, no minor may work during the hours the minor is required to attend school, and the statute's schedule of hours applies unless the department issues orders of its own.
| Under 16 | The limit |
|---|---|
| Under 16A day | The limitNot more than 3 hours on a school day, or 8 hours on a non-school day |
| Under 16A week | The limitNot more than 18 hours in a school week, or 40 hours in a non-school week |
| Under 16Days | The limitNot more than 6 days in a week |
| Under 16The day after Labor Day to May 31 | The limitNot before 7:00 a.m. or after 7:00 p.m. |
| Under 16June 1 to Labor Day | The limitNot before 7:00 a.m. or after 9:00 p.m. |
A meal period, under 18. No minor under age 18 may work more than 6 consecutive hours without a meal period, and each meal period is at least 30 minutes.
Who the under 16 limits leave out. Domestic service, farm labor and public exhibitions, as the chapter provides.
Work permits, the department's orders and prohibited occupations are not 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 Wisconsin attorney.
Sources for this section (1)
- Wis. Stat. 103.68 — Hours of labor
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of September 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Wisconsin attorney.