Are 14 year olds allowed to work in daycares in Minnesota?

You should be able to find everything you need here: http://www.dli.mn.gov/LS/ChildLabor.asp

I sure hope not.

Our day care had high school students who worked there after school. The children loved the teens. Apply and find out.

@casheroo Why? Because you think I wouldn’t be trustworthy or responsible enough? I wouldn’t do anything stupid. I really like kids and would love to have my first job involved with them. I would just be doing things like reading to kids, doing games (I’m sure there’s something like “game time” to get kids doing an organized activity, promoting team work and making sure they’re doing something active), stuff like that.

In California you have to get a work permit from your school. That would the first place you should look.

Hello fellow Minnesotan. A quick Google search turned this up:

Child labor—age restrictions

lawnmowing.jpgMinimum age

A minor under age 14 may not be employed, except as:

* a newspaper carrier (at least 11 years of age);
* in agriculture (at least 12 years of age and with parental/guardian consent);
* an actor, actress or model; or
* a youth athletic program referee (at least 11 years of age and with parental/guardian consent).

Age and hours of work

A minor less than 16 years of age

A minor less than 16 years of age may not work:

* before 7 a.m. or after 9 p.m.* with the exception of a newspaper carrier;
* for more than 40 hours a week or more than eight hours per 24-hour period*, except in agriculture;
* on school days during school hours, without an employment certificate issued by the school district superintendent (Minnesota Statutes 181A.05).

*During the school year, federal law restricts hours to no later than 7 p.m., no more than three hours a day and not more than 18 hours a week.

A minor age 16 or 17 years old

By state law, 16— and 17-year-old high school students may not work after 11 p.m. on evenings before school days or before 5 a.m. on school days. With written permission from a parent or guardian, these hours may be expanded to 11:30 p.m. and 4:30 a.m. No other limit is set for 16— and 17-year-olds.

There is nothing I can find specific to day care centers, though my suggestion would be to go to the hiring manager, or owner or administrator, or whomever at the day care center, introduce yourself, express your interest/what you would like to do, and inquire if there are any openings. If they know of any laws that would prohibit them from hiring you, they’d probably tell you.

FYI however, if it’s an in home day care, it’s likely just some couple with a kid of their own who decided to get a daycare permit and start up an in home day care to make a few extra bucks. If that is the case, I know from talking to my co-worker whose wife runs such a daycare that it’s not like they make a ton of money doing it. In other words, even if the person running the thing could use the help, he or she might not really be able to afford it.

Bottom line though, it never hurts to apply for a job and it never hurts to network. Even if they can’t hire you now, maybe they can when you’re 15 or 16.

And if you want some experience to point to, a good thing to do would be to go to a local library, and talk to the children’s librarian about volunteering. My wife is the youth services manager for a library and they have a number of teen volunteers who will help out with reading to kids and setting up kids’ activities and such.

Good luck.

@ChocolateReigns: Sorry, but I’m with @casheroo. In general, teenagers themselves do not have accurate grasps of their own limitations and their own abilities. Young teens are not who I would put in charge of children in an emergency, that’s just an opinion. You took cash’s statement a bit personally. But think about it, unless the school or care program you work for has strict policies allowing you to only handle certain situations with adult guidance nearby at all times, most parents would not be happy with that. It’s not babysitting, it’s a large group of children who do not know each other and all have their own distinct needs.

With an in home operation, I highly doubt the kind of restrictions needed to instill trust in you if I was a parent would be there. I agree with @dalepetrie, in home services may or may not have a permit, may not have extra income to spend on another employee, etc.

Why not call them and see if they’re hiring? If they aren’t you can look elsewhere, if they are then you can deal with the rest.

I live in Florida, but perhaps Minnesota law is similar.

To work in a daycare in Florida (even a licensed in-home daycare), you must be at least 18 years of age, have completed a 40 hour Child Development course, be certified in CPR and First Aid. There must be a background check on file with the daycare and you have to be fingerprinted.

At 14 years old, you could be a charge of the after-school programs.

@ChocolateReigns In my state, you can get a work permit at 15, but most places cannot even hire you until 16. (you still need a permit until 18, I believe). 14 is just too young to be in charge like that. I like @Seek_Kolinahr‘s suggestion of an after school program. Or even a summer camp type deal.
Also, to get some experience under your belt, maybe see if a family member needs help babysitting. I was a mother’s helper for a neighbor when I was your age. The mother was in the home, but I played with the baby and the mother could shower or do whatever in her room.