Hours of Work

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Hours of Work	in Spanish

What hours are minors under 18 allowed to work in agricultural jobs?

Check the chart below for the hours 12- through 17-year-olds can work in agricultural jobs.

Find out how to apply for a variance to these requirements, if necessary.

Hours and Schedules Minors are Permitted to Work in Agricultural Jobs
	Hours a Day	Hours a Week	Days a Week*	Begin	Quit
12- and 13- year-olds
Non-school weeks	8 hours	40 hours	6 days	5 a.m.	9 p.m.
Note: 12- and 13-year-olds are allowed to work only during non-school weeks hand-harvesting berries, bulbs, cucumbers and spinach.
14- and 15- year-olds
School weeks 8 hours Non-school days	3 hours	21 hours	6 days	7 a.m. (6 a.m. in animal agriculture and irrigation)	8 p.m.
Non-school weeks	8 hours	40 hours	6 days	5 a.m.	9 p.m.
* Exception: 14- and 15-year-olds are allowed to work 7 days a week in dairy, livestock, hay harvest and irrigation during school and non-school weeks.
16- and 17-year-olds
School weeks 8 hours Non-school days	4 hours	28 hours	6 days	5 a.m.	10 p.m. (No later than 9 p.m. on more than 2 consecutive nights before a school day.)
Non-school weeks	10 hours	50 hours (60 hours per week in mechanical harvest of peas, wheat and hay)	6 days	5 a.m.	10 p.m.
* Exception: 16- and 17-year-olds are allowed to work 7 days a week in dairy, livestock, hay harvest and irrigation during school and non-school weeks.

For more information see the L&I publication:
Young Workers in Agriculture (F700-096-909).

For more detail, see L&I Administrative Policy:
School Week and Work Week for Minors (ES.C.4.1) (134 KB PDF).

For more detail, see Washington Administrative Code:
Agriculture Employment Rules (WAC 296-131).