Teenage Summer Workers and Workers’ Compensation

If your teenaged daughter or son is starting a summer job, you are probably proud and relieved at the same time! You also may be just a bit worried about your teen getting injured on the job.

Just like adult workers, teens are covered by California Workers’ Compensation (WC) laws. So if your child does get injured while working, he or she will be covered by the employer’s WC policy.

However, that is small comfort for a parent. The best thing that you and their employer can do is to make sure that they remain safe on the job. In our state, labor laws prohibit teenagers from doing specific types of work for safety reasons. These include working late into the night, working long hours and certain types of work deemed “dangerous.” For example, a minor under age 16 may not load or unload goods to and from trucks, railroad cars or conveyors. You can read about these and other restrictions in this online booklet Child Labor Laws published by the California Department of Industrial Relations.

Keeping Your Teenager Safe on the Job

Employers have responsibilities to keep all workers safe in the workplace – including young workers who may only be employed for the summer. All employers must provide:

• A safe workplace.
• Training about how to handle an emergency.
• Health and safety training about chemicals and other potentially harmful substances.
• All necessary protective equipment and clothing.

Encourage your teen to speak up and ask questions about any work situation that appears hazardous.

All workers are covered by OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Act) safety regulations. This includes the above items like training and the right to work in a safe workplace. You can read helpful OSHA safety tips here.

Teenagers Are Covered by Workers’ Compensation

If a young worker is injured on the job, he or she may apply for Workers’ Compensation benefits just as an adult can. It’s important that you, as a parent, understand about your child’s rights under California law and know that you may contact an experienced WC attorney if the need arises.

Here is a good summary of teenager work and safety topics from YoungWorkers.org that are specific to California and that will be easy for your young worker to read. Included are safety tips; descriptions of workplace sexual harassment and discrimination; work hour restrictions.

Let Us Know If Your Child Has Been Injured on the Job

If you or a loved one has been denied Worker’s Compensation or Social Security Disability (SSD) benefits, it’s important to get an attorney experienced in these types of cases involved immediately.  Call our Los Angeles County office at 800.438.7734 for your initial free consultation, either in our office or in the comfort of your own home.  The Kenton Koszdin Law Office, Social Security attorney in Van Nuys, can help you navigate the application process for the best possible outcome for you and your family.