Federal law mandates the following regulations, according to the Child Labor Coalition:

• Fourteen- and 15-year-olds may be employed outside of school hours for a maximum of three hours per day and 18 hours per week when school is in session and a maximum of eight hours per day and 40 hours per week when school is not in session. This age group is prohibited from working before 7 a.m. and after 7 p.m., except summer, when they may work until 9 p.m.
• Sixteen- and 17-year olds may be employed for unlimited hours weekly.
• The federal minimum wage is $5.15 per hour. However, a minimum wage of not less than $4.25 an hour is permitted for employees under 20 years of age during their first 90 consecutive calendar days of employment with an employer.