Youth Employment
South Dakota has a complex set of youth employment laws.
Children younger than 16 years may not be employed:
- In any occupation dangerous to life, health or morals*
- For more than four hours per school day or 20 hours per school week*
- For more than eight hours per non-school day or 40 hours per non-school week*
- Later than 10 p.m. on a school night*
Furthermore, children younger than 14 years may not be employed:
- During school hours
- Later than 7 p.m.*
Various exceptions to these laws exist for child actors, jobs pumping gas or detasselling hybrid seed corn, employment by parents, employment necessary for the child's support or employment using agricultural equipment. Youth employment laws also cover the facilities in which a child may work, how often it must be cleaned and when it can be inspected.
See South Dakota Codified Laws related to youth employment.
Download a Youth Labor Law poster (in Adobe .pdf format*).
*Federal laws create requirements that are more stringent in many cases. For more information about federal youth employment laws, check out YouthRules.
Do not employ youth without a thorough understanding of the relevant laws.
Disclaimer
The information provided on this Web page should in no way be considered legal advice. For specific information about your legal rights, you should consult your personal attorney. If you have a general question, contact us.
South Dakota Department of Labor and Regulation
Division of Labor and Management
700 Governors Drive
Pierre, SD 57501
Phone: 605.773.3681
e-mail
700 Governors Drive
Pierre, SD 57501-2291
Tel. 605.773.3101
Fax. 605.773.6184
