Employment of Minors

Purpose

The University of Kentucky normally employees only persons age 18 years and older in regular full-time staff positions. Minors may be employed as student employees if they are students of the University. In addition, minors may be employed as temporary employees in accordance with Kentucky State Law. Any person under 18 years of age is considered a minor under Kentucky law.

Policy

1) Kentucky Child labor Law provides for employment of minors under conditions intended to properly protect the minor’s life, health, safety and welfare. The law considers sex, age, premises of employment, substances with which the minor must work with, machinery to be operated, number of hours to be worked, nature of employment and other factors.

2) Departments considering employment of a minor, age 14 through age 17, shall comply with the provisions of Kentucky Child Labor Law. Minors under age 14 shall normally not be employed by the University.

3) The Kentucky Revised Statutes mandate that every employer shall be required to obtain from any employee proof that the employee is at least 18 years of age. The statutes apply to any paid employment including student, regular and temporary.

Process

The department head, or designee, is responsible for compliance with Kentucky Child Labor Law.

1) The department head, or designee, shall require proof of age of any applicant within the department. A valid operator’s license or birth certificate is considered sufficient proof of age.

2) If a question arises concerning an employee’s age, or if proof of age is not available, a department should send the employee to the local board of education for written verification of age. According to Kentucky law, it is the duty of the local board of education through its superintendent or other authorized agent, to issue to a minor a certificate of age.

3) Employment of a minor shall be noted in the comments section of the employment activation.