New York State Department of Labor Labor Standards

Child Labor

If You Are 16 or 17

You may work in a factory as well as other places. When school is in session you may work a Maximum 28 hrs/wk:

Generally, you may not work between 10 PM and 6 AM. You must obtain written permission from a parent or guardian and from your school, in order to work between 10 PM and midnight on a day before a school day; and from your parent or guardian only to work between 10 PM and midnight on a day before a non-school day. Students enrolled in an approved Cooperative Education Program may work up to 6 hours on a day preceding a school day when school is in session as long as the hours are in conjunction with the program. During vacations (school must be closed for the entire week), you may work six days, 48 hours a week, 8 hours a day between the hours of 6 AM to midnight. If you work as a newspaper carrier, you may work four hours on school days and five hours on other days; you may not work between 7 PM or 30 minutes prior to sunset, whichever is later, and 5 AM. If you work at a street trade, you may work four hours on any school day and five hours on any non-school day; you may not work between 7 PM and 6 AM. You need working papers for any job except the following: farming, caddying, baby-sitting, casual employment consisting of household chores and yard work in and about a residence or the premises of a non-profit organization and, if a college student, working for a non-profit college or university or for a non-profit college or university fraternity, sorority, student association or faculty association.