Employing young people over the school holidays
We are coming up to the annual school holidays and each year we get asked about the guidelines governing part-time employment over the summer holidays for children who are still attending school.
The law is very clear about the consideration we have to include when we employ young people. Hopefully this article will help you if you are considering employing a young person during the holidays.
The two HSE cases this week both look at tragic accidents that shouldn’t have happened
- Father-of-four Nathan Johnson, 25 lost his forearm up to his elbow and needed extensive hospital treatment, including skin grafts from his left leg to replace the remains of his arm and a bolt in his elbow to ensure it remained intact.
- Barry Tyson, a 52 year old self-employed brick-layer, suffered fatal head injuries as a result of the fall whilst he was working to refurbish the flat roof.
As ever, if you have a subject that you would like us to cover one week, please contact us by phone 01458 253682, email or via our Facebook page or by Twitter.
Employing young people over the school holidays
We are coming up to the annual school holidays and each year we get asked about the guidelines governing part-time employment over the summer holidays for children who are still attending school.
The law is very clear about the consideration we have to include when we employ young people.
Definition of a child and a young person
Between the ages of 13 – 16 the young person is considered a ‘child’, once they reach 16 and until their 18th birthday they are considered a ‘young person’.
Getting a paper round is typically that ‘first job’ for most youngsters and can seem the obvious answer if your kids are pestering you for extra pocket money. But while learning to earn their own money, and how to manage it, can be a valuable life lesson it’s worth checking the rules first so you don’t find yourself on the wrong side of the law.
What age can children work?
They can’t work until they are 13; that’s unless your child is doing modelling, TV or theatre work, which are some of the specialist professions where younger children are allowed to work. In these cases a ‘performance license’ has to be issued by the local authority who also liaises with the school to ensure your child’s education isn’t likely to suffer.
What work can they do?
From 13, teenagers can do ‘light’ work; that’s things like paper rounds, car washing, working in local shops, hairdressers, cafés or restaurants, (although they can’t be involved in food preparation). In some areas there may be local by-laws that place further restrictions on either the hours or type of work they can do and you can check this out with your local authority.
How many hours can they work?
Children can work a maximum two hours a day outside school hours, but not before 7am or after 7pm and only one hour before school.
During term time children can work up to 12 hours a week. This includes the maximum two hours on school days and on Sundays and up to five hours on Saturdays, or eight hours on Saturdays for 15 to 16-year olds.
During school holidays this goes up to 25 hours a week for 13 to 14-year-olds; which means they can work up to five hours every day except Sunday when it’s a two hour limit.
For 15 to 16-year-olds the holiday working limit is higher; up to 35 hours a week; with a maximum eight hours a day and up to two hours work on Sundays.
If they’ve taken on a regular part-time job there’s probably pressure on them to keep it up during school holidays but under child employment regulations they must get a minimum two week break from work during school holidays at least once a year.
Does the minimum wage apply?
No, this doesn’t kick in until you’re over the school leaving age so there are no set rates for children under 16.
While it’s probably unlikely any part time work is going to take your child’s earnings beyond their tax free limit of £10,000 in the 2014/15 tax year, (this limit includes any income but also interest on savings), if they do go beyond this limit they’ll pay tax just like adults
Who needs to know if they’re working?
It’s down to employers to tell the local authority’s education department if they’re offering work to anyone under the school leaving age. Depending on the local by-laws the local authority may then issue a ‘work permit’.
But if we’re talking ‘work experience’, which is arranged through the school, then work permits won’t be needed.
And if you run a family business and get your kids to ‘help out’; even if the work’s not paid, you should still let the local authority know.
Full time work
Working hours are restricted for anyone under the school leaving age but this doesn’t automatically mean age 16. The ‘compulsory’ school age means staying at school ‘until the last Friday in June within the academic year of your child’s 16th birthday’. Beyond this date teenagers can apply for their national insurance number and work full time.
If you have any questions about the risk assessment requirement for your organisation employing someone over the summer holiday period, or even if you are considering taking someone on full /part time or as part of an apprentice scheme, then Please contact us by phone 01458 253682 or email for more information and assistance.
Training Courses
We only have a few courses set up for July and August as this is the holiday season.
We have one course already arranged for September but there will be more to come so please keep watching.
These will include a 3 day Safety Management course for all owners and/or directors of SMEs and our new 3 day APS Accredited 3 Day Course in “The Management of Pre-Construction Health and Safety (2015)” – This 3 day course is suitable for those who wish to act as CDM advisors to Clients, Principle Designers and Contractors or Construction Safety Practitioners (details to follow).
The following are courses already arranged for July, August and early September
ASBESTOS AWARENESS – half-day course
This course is being presented by Jon Wilkins MSC RMaPS AIIRSM and Phil Collins BSc Hons DipSurv MRICS
Course Objective Training /CPD Certificate issued
Asbestos awareness training is essential for employees whose work holds the potential to expose them to asbestos. The Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 puts a requirement on employers to ensure that their staff have undergone suitable asbestos awareness training so that they are aware of the potential dangers they may face and also the procedures they must follow in the event they are working in the vicinity of asbestos containing materials (ACMs)
Who Is This Course Suitable For?
The main groups of workers that are deemed to be at risk from asbestos exposure and therefore the groups most requiring asbestos awareness training are as follows:
- General Maintenance Staff.
- Electricians, Plumbers & Gas Fitters. Painters & Decorators.
- Construction & Demolition Workers. Joiners and Plasterers.
- Computing & Telecommunications Engineers.
- Heating & Ventilation Engineers.
- Roofers.
- Architects & Building Surveyors
- Fire & Burglar Alarm Installers
Amosite (Brown) – Chrysotile (White) – Crocidolite (Blue)
Syllabus:
- Asbestos- a history of use
- What is Asbestos
- Amosite (Brown) – Chrysotile (White) – Crocidolite (Blue)
- Asbestos Containing Product Examples
- Asbestos Properties and the hidden legacy of asbestos
- Control of Asbestos Regs and Requirements
- Exactly who is at risk
- Action to take on discovery and Survey and Recording
Course Duration:
½ day
| COURSE REF | DATE(s) | LOCATION |
|---|---|---|
| ASBESTA 1501 | Thursday 30th July 2015 | Taunton Racecourse, Orchard Portman, Taunton, Somerset TA3 7BL |
Fee: £60 to include Course notes, Coffee/Tea on arrival & mid-morning refreshments, CPD Certificate of Training (Fee subject to VAT)
Emergency first-aid at work – one-day course
Under the Health and Safety (First-Aid) Regulations 1981, it is the responsibility of the employer to ensure they provide adequately trained persons to cover their First-aid requirements. The following course has been approved and recognised by the HSE as meeting the basic requirements set by the regulations.
Who Is This Course Suitable For? 
- Smaller companies
- Offices and shops with less than 50 employees and other low risk environments
- Employees working off site
- Self-employed people
- Anyone who wants to learn first aid and assist in an emergency situation.
SYLLABUS
- First Aid Kits
- How to manage an incident
- Treating an unconscious casualty
- Resuscitation and CPR
- Asthma
- Choking
- Chest Pains
- Seizures
- Bleeding
- Shock
- Burns and Scalds
- Care and Communication
- Open Forum
Course Duration:
1 day
| COURSE REF | DATE(s) | LOCATION |
|---|---|---|
| WSG. EFA . 1501 | Wednesday 12th August 2015 | Taunton Racecourse,Orchard Portman,Taunton,SomersetTA3 7BL |
Fee: £120 to include Course notes, mid-morning & afternoon refreshments, Finger buffet lunch and a Certificate of Training (Fee subject to VAT)
CDM Regulations 2015 – for the Smaller Builder – half day course
Course Objective:
The Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 (CDM 2015) come into force on the 6th of April 2015, and will apply to all construction projects in the UK incl. Domestic projects
This CDM 2015 awareness training course has been developed to provide smaller builders and tradesmen, especially those who haven’t dealt with CDM before, with an understanding of their role and responsibilities under CDM 2015.
Seminar Outline:
- Introduction to CDM 2015
- Domestic Client Duties
- Principal Designer Duties
- Designer Duties
- Principal Contractor Duties
- Sub-Contractor Duties
- CDM Documentation
- Benefits of Attending
This course give an overview of the requirements for smaller builders and domestic clients and how the regulations apply to all construction projects from minor repairs and decorating works through to building a new house for a domestic client.
Course Duration:
1/2 day
| COURSE REF | DATE(s) | LOCATION |
|---|---|---|
| CDM2015 1507 | Tuesday 8th September | Taunton Racecourse,Orchard Portman,Taunton,SomersetTA3 7BL |
Fee: £80 to include Course notes, Coffee on arrival & mid-morning refreshments and a Certificate of Training (Fee subject to VAT)
For more information and to book and pay on line please visit our training page.
If you have any questions about these courses or any other training or would like us to run a particular course for you, call Jon Wilkins of the Wilkins Safety Group on 01458 253682 or email him.
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