Wisconsin Child Labor Law Update: Compliance Considerations for Employers Hiring Minors

Effective June 1, 2026, the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development (DWD) implemented Administrative Rule CR 26-015, a comprehensive update to the state’s child labor regulations. The rule revises Chapter DWD 270, repeals Chapter DWD 271, and reorganizes numerous provisions governing the employment of minors and street trades.

Although CR 26-015 does not dramatically change the actual rules governing child labor in Wisconsin, it provides an excellent opportunity for employers to review their compliance with Wisconsin law when employing minors.

Wisconsin Child Labor Laws and Work Permit Requirements

Wisconsin law generally permits minors to work, but employers must comply with a variety of age-based restrictions, work permit requirements, and prohibited occupation rules. Most minors between the ages of 12 and 15 must obtain a valid work permit before beginning employment unless a statutory exception applies. The work permit serves as proof of age and helps ensure that the employer, parent or guardian, and minor understand the applicable legal requirements.

Several exceptions to the work permit requirement exist. For example, permits generally are not required for agricultural employment, certain domestic work, volunteer activities for nonprofit organizations, public entertainment or exhibition work, certain fundraising activities, apprenticeships, and work performed under the direct supervision of a parent or guardian in the parent’s business.

Wisconsin also imposes minimum age requirements for most employment. Generally, minors must be at least 14 years old to work in most occupations, although Wisconsin law allows those as young as 12 to be employed in certain work, including agricultural work, caddying, newspaper delivery, school lunch program work, and certain activities supervised by a parent or guardian.

Wisconsin Restrictions on Minor Work Duties and Schedules

Employers must pay close attention not only to a minor’s age but also to the type of work being performed. Wisconsin and federal law restrict minors from working in hazardous occupations and prohibit younger workers from performing certain dangerous tasks. These restrictions are designed to reduce the risk of injury and exposure to hazardous conditions.

Industries that frequently employ teenagers, such as restaurants, retail stores, entertainment venues, recreational facilities, and hospitality businesses, should carefully evaluate job duties before assigning work to minor employees. For example, the use of bakery machines or the operation, set up, or cleaning of meat and food slicers are classified as hazardous to all minors.  Similarly, the operation of any power-driven machine or work in rooms where manufacturing, processing, storage or warehousing takes place are considered hazardous for those under 16.

Scheduling restrictions also apply to younger workers. Employers must ensure that work schedules comply with applicable state and federal requirements based on the employee’s age, the hours of work per day and per week, the time of the year, whether school is in session and time-of-day restrictions.

Employer Compliance Checklist for Hiring Minors

For employers, the implementation of CR 26-015 is an ideal opportunity to review youth employment compliance programs. Employers should:

• Verify whether work permits are required for minor employees and ensure that those who are required to have one do so.
• Review job descriptions to ensure minors are not assigned prohibited or hazardous duties.
• Confirm that managers understand age restrictions and scheduling limitations based on the age of the employee, the time of year and whether school is in session.
• Audit hiring and recordkeeping procedures involving minor workers.
• Update internal policies and training materials to reflect the revised administrative code.
• Review any existing references to former DWD 271 provisions and replace them with references to the updated regulations.