--- title: "How To Get A Job At 14 With Eligible Work And School-Friendly Hours" canonical: "https://www.metaintro.com/blog/how-to-get-a-job-at-14" language: "en" author: "drashtigarach" published: "2026-11-10T13:23:13.000Z" modified: "2026-11-10T13:23:13.000Z" --- [Back to Blog](/blog) [Career](/blog/tag/career)[Jobs](/blog/tag/jobs)[Job Hunting](/blog/tag/job-hunting)[Guide](/blog/tag/guide)[How To](/blog/tag/how-to) # How To Get A Job At 14 With Eligible Work And School-Friendly Hours Federal rules cap 14-year-olds at 3 hours a school day and 18 hours a school week. See the jobs you can legally do, the $7.25 pay rule and how to get hired. [![Drashti Garach](https://cdn.metaintro.com/rs:fill:40:40/q:72/plain/images/5719d740-e510-42bc-8017-e040d145f35f_1766029465094.png)Drashti Garach @DrashtiGarach](/blog/author/drashtigarach) [November 10, 2026](/blog/archive/2026/11)14 min read ![Teen in a green work apron packing bread into a paper grocery bag at a store checkout](https://cdn.metaintro.com/rs:fill:1200:675/q:78/plain/images/10803.jpg) [https://x.com/intent/tweet?text=How%20To%20Get%20A%20Job%20At%2014%20With%20Eligible%20Work%20And%20School-Friendly%20Hours&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.metaintro.com%2Fblog%2Fhow-to-get-a-job-at-14](https://x.com/intent/tweet?text=How%20To%20Get%20A%20Job%20At%2014%20With%20Eligible%20Work%20And%20School-Friendly%20Hours&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.metaintro.com%2Fblog%2Fhow-to-get-a-job-at-14)[http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.metaintro.com%2Fblog%2Fhow-to-get-a-job-at-14](http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.metaintro.com%2Fblog%2Fhow-to-get-a-job-at-14)[https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.metaintro.com%2Fblog%2Fhow-to-get-a-job-at-14&title=How%20To%20Get%20A%20Job%20At%2014%20With%20Eligible%20Work%20And%20School-Friendly%20Hours](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.metaintro.com%2Fblog%2Fhow-to-get-a-job-at-14&title=How%20To%20Get%20A%20Job%20At%2014%20With%20Eligible%20Work%20And%20School-Friendly%20Hours)[mailto:?subject=How%20To%20Get%20A%20Job%20At%2014%20With%20Eligible%20Work%20And%20School-Friendly%20Hours&body=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.metaintro.com%2Fblog%2Fhow-to-get-a-job-at-14](mailto:?subject=How%20To%20Get%20A%20Job%20At%2014%20With%20Eligible%20Work%20And%20School-Friendly%20Hours&body=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.metaintro.com%2Fblog%2Fhow-to-get-a-job-at-14) Yes, you can get a real job at your age in the United States, as long as it is a permitted job and fits around school. Federal rules let 14- and 15-year-olds work [only outside school hours](https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/youthrules/young-workers/non-ag-14-15), within the daily and weekly caps set out below. [Retail, office and some restaurant work](https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/fact-sheets/43-child-labor-non-agriculture) are open to you, and the pay floor is the [federal minimum wage](https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/youthrules/young-workers/non-ag-14-15) unless a special rule applies. The steps are simple. Pick a job type the law allows, build your availability from the hour limits, check your state's extra rules, and get any working papers your state requires. For [Metaintro](https://www.metaintro.com) readers, and for the parents helping them, this guide sets out each of those rules as the agencies print them. ## What Jobs Can You Legally Do as a Young Teen? Under the [U.S. Department of Labor's youth rules for non-agricultural jobs](https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/youthrules/young-workers/non-ag-14-15), 14- and 15-year-olds can work in most retail occupations, including cashiering, selling, price marking, packing and shelving. The [same rules](https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/youthrules/young-workers/non-ag-14-15) allow intellectual or creative work such as computer programming, teaching, tutoring, singing, acting, or playing an instrument. Outdoor and neighborhood work is on the list too. You can do [errands or delivery work by foot, bicycle and public transportation](https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/youthrules/young-workers/non-ag-14-15), and clean-up and yard work that does not include power-driven mowers, cutters, trimmers, edgers, or similar equipment. Work with cars and trucks is allowed in a narrow form, covering [dispensing gasoline or oil, and car washing or hand polishing](https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/youthrules/young-workers/non-ag-14-15). Food jobs are possible with limits. The [federal youth rules](https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/youthrules/young-workers/non-ag-14-15) permit some kitchen and food service work including reheating food, washing dishes, cleaning equipment, and limited cooking. That limited cooking means young teens [may cook over electric or gas grills that do not involve an open flame](https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/fact-sheets/43-child-labor-non-agriculture), and may use deep fryers only if the fryer automatically lowers and raises the baskets. Young teens [may be employed in occupations such as bagging groceries, office work, stocking shelves, and cashiering](https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/fact-sheets/43-child-labor-non-agriculture). One job waits a year. Only [15-year-olds who meet certain requirements can perform lifeguard duties](https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/youthrules/young-workers/non-ag-14-15) at traditional swimming pools and amusement parks, and they must be trained and certified by the [American Red Cross or a similar certifying organization](https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/fact-sheets/43-child-labor-non-agriculture). If a checkout counter is your target, our [guide to getting a cashier job](https://www.metaintro.com/blog/cashier-jobs) covers the duties and the skills employers ask for. ## Which Jobs Are Off-Limits at Your Age? The prohibited list matters as much as the permitted one, because a store or restaurant can hold both kinds of task. At 14 and 15 you [may not operate or tend any power-driven machinery, except office machines](https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/youthrules/young-workers/non-ag-14-15). You also may not perform any baking operations, and you may not work from ladders, scaffolds, or their substitutes. Whole settings are closed to you. The [federal youth rules](https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/youthrules/young-workers/non-ag-14-15) bar 14- and 15-year-olds from processing, mining, any workroom or workplace where goods are manufactured or processed, freezers, and meat coolers. They also bar most occupations involving transportation, construction, warehousing, communications and public utilities. Some jobs that look harmless are banned too. You [may not be employed in youth peddling, sign waving, or door-to-door sales activities](https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/youthrules/young-workers/non-ag-14-15), and you may not be employed to catch or coop poultry. On top of these, federal law sets an [18-year minimum age for occupations declared particularly hazardous](https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/fact-sheets/43-child-labor-non-agriculture), and there are [currently 17 Hazardous Occupations Orders](https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/fact-sheets/43-child-labor-non-agriculture) covering that work, from driving a motor vehicle on public roads to roofing operations. These rules exist for a reason. An estimate from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, cited on the [Labor Department's current child labor fact sheet](https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/fact-sheets/43-child-labor-non-agriculture), puts occupational injuries at 160,000 American children every year, with 54,800 serious enough to warrant emergency room treatment. > If an occupation is not specifically permitted, it is prohibited for youth ages 14 and 15, according to [the Labor Department youth rules page](https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/youthrules/young-workers/non-ag-14-15). ## How Many Hours Can You Work During the School Year? This is where a teen job differs most from an adult job. Under the [federal child labor regulations](https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/fact-sheets/43-child-labor-non-agriculture), 14- and 15-year-olds may work only outside school hours, and the federal limits for a school week are fixed. - [No more than 3 hours on a school day, including Fridays](https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/fact-sheets/43-child-labor-non-agriculture). - [No more than 8 hours on a nonschool day](https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/fact-sheets/43-child-labor-non-agriculture), such as a Saturday. - [No more than 18 hours during a week when school is in session](https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/fact-sheets/43-child-labor-non-agriculture). - Work only [between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m.](https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/fact-sheets/43-child-labor-non-agriculture) on any day. - [From June 1 through Labor Day, nighttime work hours are extended to 9:00 p.m.](https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/youthrules/young-workers/non-ag-14-15) The Friday detail catches people out. A Friday evening shift still counts as a school day, so a longer shift has to wait for a nonschool day such as Saturday. Home-schooled and private-school students follow the public school calendar. If you are home schooled, attend private school, or no school, a [school day or school week is any day or week when the public school where you live while employed is in session](https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/youthrules/young-workers/non-ag-14-15). There are exceptions to these hours if you have graduated from high school, are excused from compulsory school attendance, or are enrolled in an approved Work Experience or Career Exploration Program or Work-Study Program. Plan a school week as a total first, then fill in the days, because a few weekday shifts and one Saturday can reach the [weekly cap](https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/youthrules/young-workers/non-ag-14-15) quickly. ## What Changes in Summer and on School Breaks? The limits loosen once school is out, but they do not disappear. In a week when school is not in session, 14- and 15-year-olds may work [no more than 40 hours during the week](https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/fact-sheets/43-child-labor-non-agriculture). The later summer evening cutoff in the federal list opens shifts that are off-limits during most of the school year. Watch the calendar around the edges of the break. A week with even one school day is still a school week under [Washington's rules, which count weeks with any amount of school time as a school week](https://www.lni.wa.gov/workers-rights/youth-employment/hours-of-work), even during a holiday such as Thanksgiving break. New Jersey uses a different summer window. Its rule for 14- and 15-year-olds is [not before 7am or after 9pm from the last day of school to Labor Day](https://www.nj.gov/labor/myworkrights/worker-protections/workers_under_18/), rather than from June 1. ## Do State Laws Change the Rules? Yes, and you have to follow both sets. [Both Federal and State laws govern the employment of young workers](https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/fact-sheets/43-child-labor-non-agriculture), and when both apply, the law with the stricter standard must be obeyed. You can check [your own state's rules for young workers](https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/state) through the Labor Department. Washington is a clear example of a stricter state. Its [table for 14- and 15-year-olds in non-agricultural jobs](https://www.lni.wa.gov/workers-rights/youth-employment/hours-of-work) sets a school-week cap of 16 hours, below the federal limit, along with a limit of 6 days a week. In Washington, [changes to agricultural and non-agricultural child labor rules took effect on July 1, 2026](https://www.lni.wa.gov/workers-rights/youth-employment/hours-of-work), and the work week for minors runs Sunday through Saturday. New Jersey adds its own protections. Young workers there [cannot work more than 6 consecutive days and must be given a 30-minute meal break after 6 continuous hours of work](https://www.nj.gov/labor/myworkrights/worker-protections/workers_under_18/). The federal youth employment provisions, by contrast, do [not regulate or require such things as breaks, meal periods, or fringe benefits](https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/fact-sheets/43-child-labor-non-agriculture). State job lists can be different as well. New Jersey's list of [work allowed at 14 includes library attendants, camp counselors, caddies, supermarket and food store jobs, and amusement industry jobs](https://www.nj.gov/labor/myworkrights/worker-protections/workers_under_18/). Where a state list and the federal list differ, the stricter rule wins. ## How Much Will You Get Paid? The federal floor is clear. An employer [must pay you at least the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour for all the hours that you work, except under certain circumstances](https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/youthrules/young-workers/non-ag-14-15). You can be paid by the hour, by the piece, by the day or by salary, but [your hourly earnings must average at least the applicable minimum wage](https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/youthrules/young-workers/non-ag-14-15). There is one big exception for new young workers. [If you are under 20 years of age, you can be paid $4.25 per hour during your first consecutive 90 calendar days of working for an employer](https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/youthrules/young-workers/non-ag-14-15). Certain full-time students, student learners, apprentices, and workers with disabilities [can be paid less than the minimum wage under special certificates](https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/youthrules/young-workers/non-ag-14-15) issued by the Labor Department. Your state may pay more. [State laws may require a higher wage rate](https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/youthrules/young-workers/non-ag-14-15). In New Jersey, [workers under 18 are entitled to minimum wage in retail, food service, hotel and motel work, and several other listed fields](https://www.nj.gov/labor/myworkrights/worker-protections/workers_under_18/), although certain types of employers are not required to pay minors minimum wage. ## Do You Need Working Papers or a Work Permit? It depends on your state, not on federal law. The federal youth rules [do not require minors to obtain working papers or work permits, though many States do](https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/fact-sheets/43-child-labor-non-agriculture). New Jersey shows how the process works in a state that requires them. All youth workers [under the age of 18 who accept a job offer need Working Papers](https://www.nj.gov/labor/youngworkers/find-a-job/working-papers/faqs.shtml) to be employed in the state, and you can only submit your application once you have an offer of employment. The steps run in order. You [create an account at myworkingpapers.nj.gov, then complete the application using your employer's unique 8-digit code and your caregiver's name and email address](https://www.nj.gov/labor/youngworkers/find-a-job/working-papers/steps.shtml). You will also need [your Social Security number and a caregiver email address that is different from your own](https://www.nj.gov/labor/youngworkers/find-a-job/working-papers/faqs.shtml). Your caregiver then uploads proof of age, such as a [birth certificate, passport or learner's permit](https://www.nj.gov/labor/youngworkers/find-a-job/working-papers/steps.shtml), and approves the application. Timing rules protect you if a step stalls. If your employer has approved the application but your caregiver does not act [within 14 days, the status changes to Application Approved (Provisional)](https://www.nj.gov/labor/youngworkers/find-a-job/working-papers/faqs.shtml), and you can begin working, although a later rejection means you must stop immediately. Summer-only jobs [still need approved Working Papers](https://www.nj.gov/labor/youngworkers/find-a-job/working-papers/faqs.shtml), and so does a job in New Jersey if you live in another state. > If you add or change jobs, you need to submit a new Working Papers application, according to [the New Jersey working papers guide](https://www.nj.gov/labor/youngworkers/find-a-job/working-papers/steps.shtml). ## Where Can You Find Your First Job? Start with programs built for your age group. New York City's [Summer Youth Employment Program connects NYC youth between the ages of 14 and 24](https://www.nyc.gov/site/dycd/services/jobs-internships/summer-youth-employment-program-syep.page) with career exploration and paid work experience each summer, and the [city calls it](https://www.nyc.gov/site/dycd/services/jobs-internships/summer-youth-employment-program-syep.page) the nation's largest youth employment program. Deadlines come early. The [2026 application deadline was 3/13/26](https://www.nyc.gov/site/dycd/services/jobs-internships/summer-youth-employment-program-syep.page), so the 2026 SYEP round closed in March. Your school can be a route too. In an approved [Work Experience and Career Exploration Program](https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/fact-sheets/43-child-labor-non-agriculture), 14- and 15-year-olds may work during school hours, up to 3 hours on a school day and as many as 23 hours in a school week. State Departments of Education run these programs with [approval from the Wage and Hour Division for a 2-year period](https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/fact-sheets/43-child-labor-non-agriculture). Family businesses follow their own rule. Children of any age are [generally permitted to work for businesses entirely owned by their parents](https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/fact-sheets/43-child-labor-non-agriculture), except that those under 16 may not be employed in mining or manufacturing and no one under 18 may work in an occupation declared hazardous. Beyond those, the federal rules point to [most office jobs and retail and food service establishments](https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/fact-sheets/43-child-labor-non-agriculture), plus car washes and tutoring. In New Jersey, [employers can hire minors as young as 12 for some jobs](https://www.nj.gov/labor/youngworkers/find-a-job/working-papers/faqs.shtml), but retail and food service carry higher minimum ages. Our list of [jobs for high school students](https://www.metaintro.com/blog/jobs-for-high-school-students) gives more ideas for the next few years. ## How Do You Apply and Interview With No Experience? Lead with your availability, because the hour limits are the first thing a manager of a young worker has to plan around. Write it as real times that fit the [federal school-week rules](https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/youthrules/young-workers/non-ag-14-15), such as weekday afternoons up to the evening cutoff and Saturdays, and include the time it takes to get there from school. Bring your documents. In New Jersey your [employer will also ask for proof of age via the federal Employment Eligibility Verification form](https://www.nj.gov/labor/youngworkers/find-a-job/working-papers/faqs.shtml) on top of the working papers. Have your Social Security number and a parent or guardian's contact details ready before the interview. Then show you can be trusted with the work. School projects, sports, volunteering, babysitting for neighbors and chores at home are fair examples, as long as they are true. In the interview, ask which tasks the role includes, so you can check them against the permitted list before you say yes. Our [job interview tips](https://www.metaintro.com/blog/job-interview-tips) cover how to answer common first-round questions. ## What This Means for Young Teens and Their Parents, and What Should You Do Next? The hour rules are not a barrier to getting hired. They are the plan. An applicant who already knows the school-day limit and the evening cutoff, and offers availability that fits inside them, gives a manager a schedule that works from the first week. Promising to work any time does the opposite, because a young teen legally cannot. A job can be legal in name but not in its tasks. A restaurant job is allowed, yet the bakery oven, the meat slicer and the stepladder in the stockroom are not. Before you accept, ask for the list of duties and check each one against the federal rules and your state's page. Under the [federal rule for young teens](https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/youthrules/young-workers/non-ag-14-15), a task that is not on the permitted list is not allowed. Parents have a role too. In New Jersey, a caregiver reviews the working papers, and the [state lets a caregiver reject the application if concerned about the hours or the duties](https://www.nj.gov/labor/youngworkers/find-a-job/working-papers/steps.shtml). Read the job description together before you sign off. Lacey Kaelani, [Metaintro](https://www.metaintro.com)'s CEO, puts it this way: Your first job is less about the paycheck and more about proving you can show up when you said you would. Pick a job you can actually fit around school, and that reliability becomes the reference that gets you the next one. ## Related Articles - [How to Find a First Job With No Experience and Get Hired](https://www.metaintro.com/blog/how-do-i-find-a-first-job-with-no-experience) - [How to Make a Resume for Your First Job With No Work Experience](https://www.metaintro.com/blog/how-to-make-a-resume-for-your-first-job) - [High School Resume Tips for Landing Your First Job With No Experience](https://www.metaintro.com/blog/high-school-resume-tips) - [A High School Resume With No Job History](https://www.metaintro.com/blog/high-school-resume-no-job-history) - [Building a Resume When You Have Never Had a Job](https://www.metaintro.com/blog/building-a-resume-with-no-work-history) - [How to Choose Job References That Actually Get You Hired (With Templates)](https://www.metaintro.com/blog/job-references) - [How to Become a Restaurant Server](https://www.metaintro.com/blog/how-to-become-a-restaurant-server) - [Full-Time vs Part-Time Student Work](https://www.metaintro.com/blog/full-time-vs-part-time-student) - [Bringing Notes to an Interview, What to Write Down and How to Use Them Without Losing Eye Contact](https://www.metaintro.com/blog/bringing-notes-to-an-interview) ## People Also Asked ### Q: How many hours can a young teen work in a week? A: Federal rules set [one weekly cap for school weeks and a higher one for weeks when school is not in session](https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/fact-sheets/43-child-labor-non-agriculture), and both are listed in the hours sections above. Some states, such as [Washington](https://www.lni.wa.gov/workers-rights/youth-employment/hours-of-work), set a lower school-week cap. ### Q: Can a young teen work at a restaurant? A: Yes, with limits. Federal rules allow [reheating food, washing dishes, cleaning equipment, and limited cooking](https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/youthrules/young-workers/non-ag-14-15), but you may not perform any baking operations or operate power-driven machinery other than office machines. ### Q: What is the minimum wage for a young teen? A: Young teens are covered by the [federal minimum wage](https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/youthrules/young-workers/non-ag-14-15), with a lower youth rate allowed during an initial period with a new employer, as the pay section above sets out. Your state may require a higher rate. Ready to level up? [Metaintro](https://www.metaintro.com) brings together 50M jobs in one place. 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