Massachusetts Workers Compensation Lawyers Blog
Summer break is right around the corner and our teenage students throughout the state are gearing up to snag a job and to earn some extra cash. What they may be unwittingly gearing up for is a work accident in Boston.
For this reason, we are asking parents to sit down for a second and talk with their teen workers about the risks they could possibly face on the job before they head out in search of a paycheck.
These young workers are inexperienced and may not be aware of their rights as a worker in the U.S. and in the state of Massachusetts. It’s important that we share with them what they’re entitled to and what their responsibilities are as an employee. There are specific child labor laws in the state of Massachusetts, according to the Massachusetts Department of Labor Standards, and these children are to adhere to these age-specific rules.
Our Boston workers’ compensation lawyers understand that teen workers have some of the highest risks for work accidents. Their risks are actually about two times higher than workers over the age of 24. In 2010, there were nearly 18 million employees in the U.S. who were under the age of 24. This age group represented nearly 15 percent of the country’s workforce. These workers are at such high risks for work accidents because they typically hold positions in workplaces where hazards are abundant, like in restaurants. In these places there are slippery floors, sharp utensils and dangerous cooking equipment, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
There were nearly 400 workers under the age of 24 who were killed in work-related accidents in 2009. About 30 of these fatalities were of workers under 18. There were also 800,000 additional work-related injuries among this young age group during that same year.
Parents are asked to review the following child labor laws and share them with their teens, ages 16- and 17-years-old, to make sure that everyone is aware of their rights on the job this summer:
-Can only work from 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. on school days.
-Can only work from 6:00 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. on non-school days.
-Can work only 48 hours a week.
-Can only work 9 hours a day.
-Can only work 6 days a week.
-Cannot drive a forklift.
-Cannot work in mining, sawmilling or logging.
-Cannot work on a roof.
-Cannot operate power-driven woodworking machines.
-Cannot work more than 30 feet above of underground.
-Cannot serve alcoholic beverages.
-Must be supervised by an adult when working after 8:00 p.m.
-May voice concerns regarding on-the-job hazards.
-May not work as a firefighter or engineer on a boat.
-May not work in railroad operations.
Jeffrey Glassman Injury Lawyers LLC is a group of experienced and knowledgeable workers’ compensation lawyers who are committed to fighting for the rights of workers who have been involved in a work accident in Boston and elsewhere throughout the state. Call (617) 777-7777 to set up a free and confidential consultation to discuss your rights.
More Blog Entries:
New England Work Accident Sparks Investigation: Serious Violations Discovered, Massachusetts Workers Compensation Lawyers Blog, May 2, 2012