29 C.F.R. § 570.33

Occupations that are prohibited to minors 14 and 15 years of age

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The following occupations, which is not an exhaustive list, constitute oppressive child labor within the meaning of the Fair Labor Standards Act when performed by minors who are 14 and 15 years of age:

(a) Manufacturing, mining, or processing occupations, including occupations requiring the performance of any duties in work rooms or work places where goods are manufactured, mined or otherwise processed, except as permitted in § 570.34 of this subpart.

(b) Occupations that the Secretary of Labor may, pursuant to section 3(l) of the Fair Labor Standards Act, find and declare to be hazardous for the employment of minors between 16 and 18 years of age or detrimental to their health or well-being.

(c) Occupations that involve operating, tending, setting up, adjusting, cleaning, oiling, or repairing hoisting apparatus.

(d) Work performed in or about boiler or engine rooms or in connection with the maintenance or repair of the establishment, machines, or equipment.

(e) Occupations that involve operating, tending, setting up, adjusting, cleaning, oiling, or repairing any power-driven machinery, including but not limited to lawn mowers, golf carts, all-terrain vehicles, trimmers, cutters, weed-eaters, edgers, food slicers, food grinders, food choppers, food processors, food cutters, and food mixers. Youth 14 and 15 years of age may, however, operate office equipment pursuant to § 570.34(a) and vacuum cleaners and floor waxers pursuant to § 570.34(h).

(f) The operation of motor vehicles; the service as helpers on such vehicles except those tasks permitted by § 570.34(k); and the riding on a motor vehicle, inside or outside of an enclosed passenger compartment, except as permitted by § 570.34(o).

(g) Outside window washing that involves working from window sills, and all work requiring the use of ladders, scaffolds, or their substitutes.

(h) All baking and cooking activities except that cooking which is permitted by § 570.34(c).

(i) Work in freezers and meat coolers and all work in the preparation of meats for sale except as permitted by § 570.34(j). This section, however, does not prohibit the employment of 14- and 15-year-olds whose duties require them to occasionally enter freezers only momentarily to retrieve items as permitted by § 570.34(i).

(j) Youth peddling, which entails the selling of goods or services to customers at locations other than the youth-employer's establishment, such as the customers' residences or places of business, or public places such as street corners and public transportation stations. Prohibited activities associated with youth peddling not only include the attempt to make a sale or the actual consummation of a sale, but also the preparatory and concluding tasks normally performed by a youth peddler in conjunction with his or her sales such as the loading and unloading of vans or other motor vehicles, the stocking and restocking of sales kits and trays, the exchanging of cash and checks with the employer, and the transportation of minors to and from the various sales areas by the employer. Prohibited youth peddling also includes such promotion activities as the holding, wearing, or waving of signs, merchandise, costumes, sandwich boards, or placards in order to attract potential customers, except when performed inside of, or directly in front of, the employer's establishment providing the product, service, or event being advertised. This provision does not prohibit a young salesperson from conducting sales for his or her employer on property controlled by the employer that is out of doors but may properly be considered part of the employer's establishment. Youth may conduct sales in such employer exterior facilities, whether temporary or permanent, as garden centers, sidewalk sales, and parking lot sales, when employed by that establishment. Youth peddling does not include the activities of persons who, as volunteers and without compensation, sell goods or services on behalf of eleemosynary organizations or public agencies.

(k) Loading and unloading of goods or property onto or from motor vehicles, railroad cars, or conveyors, except the loading and unloading of personal non-power-driven hand tools, personal protective equipment, and personal items to and from motor vehicles as permitted by § 570.34(k).

(l) Catching and cooping of poultry in preparation for transport or for market.

(m) Public messenger service.

(n) Occupations in connection with:

(1) Transportation of persons or property by rail, highway, air, water, pipeline, or other means;

(2) Warehousing and storage;

(3) Communications and public utilities;

(4) Construction (including demolition and repair); except such office work (including ticket office) or sales work in connection with paragraphs (n)(1), (2), (3), and (4) of this section, as does not involve the performance of any duties on trains, motor vehicles, aircraft, vessels, or other media of transportation or at the actual site of construction operations.

[75 FR 28448, May 20, 2010]
Notes of Decisions
Cited in 11 cases (3 in the last 5 years), 1979–2026 · leading case: Jensen v. Sport Bowl, Inc., 469 N.W.2d 370 (S.D. 1991).
Jensen v. Sport Bowl, Inc., 469 N.W.2d 370 (S.D. 1991). · cites it 2× “Specifically, federal regulations implementing the Fair Labor Standards Act at 29 CFR §§ 570.33 (b) and 570.35(6) (1990) prohibit minors between the ages of 14 and 16 from "tending .”
Chao v. Vidtape, Inc., 196 F. Supp. 2d 281 (E.D.N.Y 2002). “See 29 C.F.R. 570.33(a)-570.33(e). Wilber Amaya testified that he was hired by Mohinder.”
New York Youth Club v. Town of Smithtown, 867 F. Supp. 2d 328 (E.D.N.Y 2012). · cites it 2× “28404 (May 20, 2010) (to be codified at 29 C.F.R. pts. 570, 579). Defendants also cite a 2010 U.”
McLaughlin v. McGee Bros. Co., Inc., 681 F. Supp. 1117 (W.D.N.C. 1988). “contrary to regulations at 29 C.F.R. § 570.33 and/or .34, employ minors under the age of 16 years in occupations not permitted thereby; and c.”
Ray Marshall, Sec'y of Labor, United States Dep't of Labor v. Lane Processing, Inc., 606 F.2d 518 (8th Cir. 1979). “…the prohibition against the employment of “oppressive child labor,” it is clear that “processing” is not among them. 29 C.F.R. § 570.33 (a).”
Bruley v. Fonda Grp., Inc., 595 A.2d 269 (Vt. 1991). · cites it 2× “At the time of the accident, an older employee told Jeffrey to move the lawn tractor out of the way of vehicular traffic and, while moving it, he lost control and was injured. Under federal law, minors between fourteen and sixteen years of age may not be employed in…”
Lynnville Transp., Inc. v. Chao, 316 F. Supp. 2d 790 (S.D. Iowa 2004). · cites it 3× “29 C.F.R. § 570.33 (f)(1). 1 Upon reviewing Lynn-ville’s records, the investigator further discovered the following illegal work hours: a minor under the age of 16 worked in excess of 40 hours in a week six times, including twice when he was a 13-year-old; a 13-year-old worked…”
Julie A. Su v. The Exclusive Poultry Inc. (C.D. Cal. 2023). “Defendants shall not suffer or permit to work any person under the 7 age of 16 years in an occupation prohibited by 29 C.F.R. § 570.33 , 8 including but not limited to: work in freezers and meat coolers and 9 all work in the preparation of meats for sale except as permitted by…”
Tyrnauer v. Ben & Jerry's Homemade, Inc. (D. Vt. 2024). “29 C.F.R. § 570.33 . In Vermont, children “under 14 years of age” may be employed at a family farm.”
G.B. v. United States Env't Prot. Agency (9th Cir. 2026). “As the Government notes, children are present-day consumers just like adults. Persons under 18 years old wield significant economic power—both directly and, by influencing adults’ decisions, indirectly.”
Reich, Sec v. Shiloh True Light (4th Cir. 1996). “65, and children under sixteen to work in con- struction during hours prohibited by federal regulation, see 29 C.F.R. §§ 570.33 (b), 570.33(f)(4), 570.”
— 29 C.F.R. § 570.33(a) — 1 case
Chao v. Vidtape, Inc., 196 F. Supp. 2d 281 (E.D.N.Y 2002). “See 29 C.F.R. 570.33(a)-570.33(e). Wilber Amaya testified that he was hired by Mohinder.”
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