Employment of Minors

Policy Statement

Applies to: All current and prospective employees under the age of 18

Dartmouth follows state and federal laws governing the employment of minors.

Per New Hampshire law, youths under the age of 18^* must have written permission form a parent or legal guardian for a child to work.

Youths aged 14 or 15 are required to complete a youth work certificate.  Youths aged 16 or 17^* must complete a Parental Permission Form. ^*Youths aged 16 or 17 years who have graduated from high school or obtained a general equivalency diploma are exempted from this rule.

All completed youth work certificates and parental permission forms must be sent to the Office of Human Resources before employment begins.

Under no circumstances may a person under the age of 14 be employed at Dartmouth. Children between the ages of 14 and 15 are limited to certain types of working conditions and hours, especially during school weeks. Employees with specific concerns about conditions and hours should contact their Human Resources Business Partner.

Definitions and Regulations:

The Payroll Authorization Smart Form, used to enter an employee into the payroll system, will not be approved unless the above conditions are met. Youth work certificates may be obtained from the child's local New Hampshire high school. There are certain limitations on the work youth are allowed to perform. Please refer to the New Hampshire Department of Labor Web site for details:
https://www.nh.gov/labor/inspection/wage-hour/youth-employment.htm

Procedure:

Employer Request for Child Labor (youths aged 14 or 15):

Youth aged 14 or 15 can acquire a New Hampshire youth employment certificate following an offer of employment. The employer should give the youth a completed Employer's Request for Child Labor Form, including the signature of the Dartmouth employer.

The youth and their parent or guardian must take the following items to their local New Hampshire School Superintendent/Guidance Department/Principal's office:

• The Employer's Request for Child Labor form, with student and employment information and signed by a Dartmouth representative.
• A copy of the student's most recent report card.
• Proof of student's age: a birth certificate, a passport, a baptismal certificate, an immigration record, or a religious or official record bearing the minor's age.

If the youth is a Vermont resident, the form must be signed at a New Hampshire high school. 

The School Superintendent/Guidance Department/Principal's office will make the decision to approve employment based on the student's school record and will sign the form if approved.

The signed Employer's Request for Child Labor form must be returned to the Dartmouth Office of Human Resources before the youth can start work.

Parental Permission Form (youth aged 16 or 17):

The parent or guardian for a youth aged 16 or 17 must complete the State of New Hampshire Parental Permission form. The signed form must be returned to the Dartmouth Office of Human Resources before the youth can start work.

Documentation:

A list of frequently asked questions regarding youth labor in New Hampshire can be found at:
https://www.nh.gov/labor/faq/youth-employment.htm

N.H. Department of Labor Youth Employment forms can be found at the following link:
https://www.nh.gov/labor/inspection/forms.htm#youth