Does anyone know the rules for 16 year old hours?

[Kvec1507]

Hi all
My 16 year old son has just been offered his first job. It's a great job at a private school as a site assistant.
However we looked at the shifts and I'm not sure whether he should do it.
It's one week at 20 hours and one week at 13 hours that alternate.
It's 3/4 evenings a week 6-9.30 then at the weekends either a Saturday or Sunday.

When he does the Saturdays the shifts are 11 hours long!!
Is he allowed to do this?
The rules on the gov website say no more than 8 hours but not sure where a 16 year old fits in.

He was going to give it a go to see how he gets on and see how tired he gets and especially going into year 13 and a levels I don't want it to impact his studies. But now I'm not sure he's even allowed to do those hours
The job is a school so I would have assumed they would have checked this. I don't want to ask yet as don't want it to come across like there's an issue yet.

He’s young, he will be fine.

It’s a standard shift for many. Waitresses etc do 12 hours for a double. Care 12 hours is standard.

He might not be doing much in the evenings so it might be ideal for studying! Had a friend with a job like this doing evening and night portering. Just sat around at a desk all evening and wrote a book.

@Kvec1507 gov.uk. says 8 hours max on Saturdays for 15 - 16 year olds.
If he is 16 then it's 8 hours.
(screenshot under review)

He also has to have a break (20 mins min I think) after 4 hours.

I personally wouldn't want my child to work for people who are happy to break the law.
What else would they be happy to not follow the rules with - Health and Safety? Wages?

If he’s 15 to 16 then I don’t think he can start FT work until the school leaving age which is the last Friday in June. If he’s 16-17 he’s already reached that.

I'm wondering if because it's every other week that's how they can get away with it?

He's 16 and turns 17 in July.
He's so excited and we are a bit concerned about his studies but we just said we'd see how it goes.

The rules for 17 year olds are actually pretty much the same (8 hours a day only) - it just doesn't have the term time/holiday time variations.

They can't "get away with it". 11 hours is illegal.

To be fair they probably don't realise. An email asking for clarification giving he wouldn't be able to work more than 8 hours on the Saturday would be sensible.

If he's entrepreneurial he could sell the story to the newspapers. Public school refuses to break their centuries old tradition of child labour/exploitation!

No way would mine have been working those hours at 16

Oh he totally would as well!!

That link also says a maximum of 12 hours per week term time with 2 hours max on a Sunday.

A maximum of 12 a week including 2 on Sundays and 8 on Saturdays.

If they are employing someone they should know employment laws !

Actually..... checking again.
As he is 16 but beyond statutory school leaving age (because he's in Year 12) he can work full time up to 40 hours a week.
But the 8 hour a day rule still applies.
He cannot work an 11 hour shift.

@Kvec1507 have a look on acas.org.uk website.
All the rules are there.

If they are employing someone they should know employment laws !

They've probably never employed a 16 year old before.

I decided to send the email.
If anything hopefully they will say oopsie and still give him the job but at less hours. He's had so many rejections from applications he was super excited. But I don't want it to be at the detriment of his studies.

It will affect his achievement at A level. Needs to be working less than 8 hours per week ideally.
I worked with a teacher who did a long term analyses of hours worked/achievement at A level and there was indeed a correlation.

Is this only for 15-16 in full time school or does college count as well ( 3-4 days a week)@needmorelego had a look at the website but didn’t fully understand. As I’m 16 and I’ve been asked to work 12- close today. Which will be around 11 or more hours as we have an event on today. And only just started so the questions are short notice.

@TipsyPombear at 16 you cannot work an 11 hour shift.
Until you are 18 the legal limited is 8 hours a day. Even if it's a full time job and you aren't in education it's still 8.
16 year olds also aren't allowed to work between 10pm and 6am (so no overnights).