Helpful Hints for Finding a Job.

• Dress like you are looking for a job when picking up and dropping off the application
• Have all of the needed information with you i.e. phone numbers, addresses, job titles, etc.
• Don't take your friends or family 

Job Openings

Think Summer

Always keep an eye out for new store openings a lot of kids are leaving for college any day now, keep your ears open and tell everyone you know that you are looking for a job.

WHAT IS A WORK PERMIT

A work permit is a legal document required by the state of California that allows a person under 18 years of age (minor) to hold a job. An employer who hires a minor must have a work permit on file at the business site before the minor may start the job. An employer risks getting a fine (like a traffic ticket) from a California Labor Department inspector if no work permit is on file for a minor employee. In the same way that not all drivers who speed on the freeways receive tickets, not all employers who forget or do not keep work permits for minor employees on file are fined. But, just as the threat of receiving a traffic ticket makes you want to obey the speed laws, the cost and trouble of receiving a Labor Department violation makes most employers want to obey the laws.

HOW DO I GET A WORK PERMIT?

You can get a work permit application from the nearest public high school. You may ask for one at the Work Experience Education (WEE) office. After you get the work permit application, fill out the personal information in the top section (name, address, social security number, date of birth).Next, have a supervisor at your new job fill out the center section with the name of the company, address, workers’ compensation insurance, etc. Finally, have your parent or legal guardian sign it. Return the work permit application to the same school office, and they will type and sign the work permit for you. You must take the work permit to your new supervisor before your first day of work.

 AT WHAT AGE CAN I GET A WORK PERMIT?

In most cases students must be at least 14 years of age to get a work permit. Infants to 17-year-olds can get an “entertainment work permit” to work in the movies, on television, or do modeling. Other than this, workers under 14 years of age may do babysitting, yard work and paper routes, which do not require work permits. Although 14 and15-year-olds may get work permits, most employers will not hire students under the age of 16. This is because the Workers’ compensation insurance usually does not cover workers under age 16. Workers’ compensation insurance is a type of insurance that employers are legally required to have that helps pay medical bill when employees get injured on the job.

 TO GET OR KEEP A WORK PERMIT, MUST I ATTEND SCHOOL?

 Yes! Requiring work permits for minors ensures that they stay in school and have parent or guardian permission to have a job. Without school attendance or permission from a parent or guardian, no work permit may be issued if a student drops out of school, a work permit may still be obtained if he or she enrolls in continuation school, adult school, ROP (Regional Occupational Program), or community college classes. Talk to the Work Experience Education Teacher, or principal at the nearest public high school to find out more information about work permits for dropouts.

 HOW OFTEN DO I NEED TO GET A WORK PERMIT?

Each time a minor is hired for a new job, a new work permit must be obtained and given to the employer. In addition, all work permits expire shortly after school starts in September or August. Therefore, even if you still work at the same job in September, you must get a new work permit application, complete it, get a new work permit, and give it to your employer. Since California lawmakers wanted to make sure that all working minors return to school in September or August, they decided to make all work permits expire in September or August so that working minors would have to report to school to get new work permits.

HOW MANY HOURS MAY I WORK?

Workers who are ages 14 and 15 may work 3 hours on a school day and 8 hours on a non school day for a total of no more than 18 hours per week during the school year. They may work no latter than 7 P.M.
Workers who are ages 16 and 17 may work 4 hours on a school day and 8 hours on a non school day for a total of no more than 36 hours per week during the school year.

(Note: School districts are allowed to limit the total to 20 hours per week if they feel this would be best for their students.) They may work no later than 10:00 p.m. on a school night, and no later than 12:30 a.m. on a night before a non-school day (such as Friday and Saturday nights.) There are exceptions to the rules for workers ages 16 and 17. If these workers are in Work Experience Program or ROP/ CVE classes, they must be issued work permits that allow them to work more hours on a school day, more hours during the week, and work past 10:00 p.m. on a school night. Since the exact rules and hours vary among the school districts in California, interested students should talk to the high school’s Work Experience Education teacher or ROP/ CVE teacher for details.

Yes! The work permit can be canceled and taken away at any time by a California Labor Department inspector if he or she feels it is not in the best interest of the student to work at the job site. In addition, a work permit can be canceled at parent or guardian request. Finally, a work permit can be canceled by the issuing authority (person who signed the work permit at the school) for a good reason. Good reasons for canceling a work permit include: but are not limited to: student is continually absent or tardy to class, student is failing classes, student is not completing homework, student is sleeping in class, student is being asked to work during school time, or job site is not safe.