Hiring Minors as Student Workers? Here Are the Most Important Rules!

At what age can a young person start working?

Students can start working as early as age 15.

Stricter conditions apply to 15-year-olds who have not yet completed the first two years of secondary school. They may only perform light duties, such as stocking shelves, assisting at the front desk, or performing light cleaning tasks.

Starting at age 16—or at age 15 if the young person is no longer subject to full-time compulsory education—this general restriction to light work no longer applies. Specific protective rules continue to apply to all minor employees, including those regarding working hours, rest periods, and hazardous work.

How many hours is a young person allowed to work?

The following limits apply to minor employees:

• Up to 8 hours a day.
• A maximum of 38 hours per week, either actual or average, with an absolute limit of 40 hours per week.
• Overtime is generally prohibited, except in exceptional circumstances.

Please note: 15-year-old students working part-time who are still required to attend school full-time may work a maximum of 12 hours per week outside of school hours during the school term. During a period of at least one week without school activities, they may work eight hours per day and 40 hours per week.

Which breaks are required?

Minors are entitled to longer breaks than adult employees.

• Work shifts of less than 4.5 hours: no legally required break
• Work shifts longer than 4.5 hours: a minimum 30-minute break
• Work shifts longer than 6 hours: a minimum 60-minute break

For a 60-minute break, at least 30 consecutive minutes must be taken. A young person may never work for more than 4.5 hours without a break.

Example: A 17-year-old employee works from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. In that case, provide at least one hour of break time, including at least 30 consecutive minutes.

Are young people allowed to work in the evening or at night?

Strict restrictions apply to minors:

• Under 16 years of age: As a general rule, do not work between 8:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m.
• Ages 16 and older: In principle, they are also not allowed to work between 8:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m., but exceptions are possible under specific conditions.
• In any case, young temporary workers are prohibited from working between midnight and 4:00 a.m.

Is working on Sundays and holidays permitted?

In principle, minors are prohibited from working on Sundays and holidays. There are exceptions in certain sectors and situations.

When Sunday work is permitted, an additional restriction applies. For example, a young employee may, in principle, work no more than one Sunday out of every two. For 15-year-old student workers who are still required to attend school full-time, there is a general prohibition on working on Sundays and holidays.

What rest periods are required?

In addition to mandatory breaks, minors are entitled to:

• At least 12 consecutive hours of rest between two workdays, or 14 hours for 15-year-old student workers who are still required to attend school full-time.
• Two days off per week, one of which is on Sunday and the other immediately before or after it.

Don't forget about safety, either!

Minors working as temporary employees are not permitted to perform all types of work without restriction. Additional prohibitions and protective measures apply to dangerous machinery, high-risk tasks, and certain working conditions.

How does Update-pro help ensure accurate staff scheduling?

At Update-pro, we take into account the specific labor regulations for underage temporary workers. That is why we proactively conduct checks on our staffing schedules, including working hours, mandatory breaks, and legal restrictions.

If we notice that a schedule may not comply with the rules, we'll help you make the necessary adjustments in a timely manner.

This way, we minimize the risk of errors and work together to ensure that young temporary workers are employed correctly and safely.

Do you have any questions about your employees' employment?

Are you unsure whether you’re allowed to assign a minor temporary worker at a certain time or for a specific task? Feel free to contact us. We’d be happy to work with you to see what’s possible!