What Documentation Does My Student Need to
Work in Illinois?
The Illinois Department of Labor oversees the safety of minors in Illinois by regulating the employment of
workers under 16 years of age. The law protects children by limiting working hours, prohibiting work in
hazardous occupations, and requiring employment certificates (820 ILCS 205/1-22 Child Labor Law).
Work Permit (Employment Certificate)
For a minor child (ages 0-15 years of age) to be able to work in Illinois, he or she must be issued a
Work Permit (Employment Certificate).
Requirements for Work Permit (Employment Certificate) for a Minor Child 0-15 years old:
1. Work Permit (Employment Certificate) Application
2. Birth Certificate
3. Social Security Card (Signed)
4. Statement by Prospective Employer
5. Recent Physical Exam (dated from within one year of application)
6. Principal’s Statement-required if employed during the school year
7. Copy of Government Issued Photo ID of Legal Parent or Guardian on Minor’s Birth
Certificate or Court Order Regarding Adoption or Guardianship
Illinois law requires that BOTH the child and the parent or guardian be present when applying for the
Work Permit (Employment Certificate)
Work Permits are valid for one year and for one employer
Age Certificates
Age Certificates are issued for a minor child (ages 16-20 years of age) for employment
purposes if a birth certificate is not official or available.
Requirements for Age Certificate for a Minor Child 16-20 years old:
1. To verify age, please show one of the following: Birth Certificate, Passport,
Baptismal or Bible records. If these are not available, please contact our office
to verify if the documents that you have are acceptable.
2. The person applying must have the employer name and address.
3. Parent need not be present at time of application.
If you have any further question concerning this procedure, please feel free to contact the Illinois
Department of Labor Child Labor Law Department (312) 793-5570 or e-mail
dol.ch[email protected]
If you have any question concerning Illinois Child Labor Laws, please contact the Child Labor Hotline
(800) 645-5784.
Please Note: Work permits (Employment Certificates) and Age Certificates are issued during office
hours at the Regional Office of Education #12 locations
Crawford, Jasper and Richland Counties Monday-Friday 8-12 and 1-4
Clay County Monday & Wednesday 8-12 and 1-4
Lawrence County Tuesday & Thursday 8-12 and 12:30-3:30
ROE 12 Rev. 10/2021
Regional Office of Education #12
Serving the students and educational professionals of Clay, Crawford, Jasper, Lawrence, and Richland Counties, Illinois
Regional Superintendent of Schools
Corrie Ray, Assistant Regional Superintendent of Schools
Clay County
Clay County Courthouse
111 East Chestnut
Street P.O. Box 97
Louisville, Illinois 62858
618.665.3373
Fax 618.665.3155
Crawford County
300 West Main Street
Lower Level, Suite 307
Robinson, Illinois
62454 618.544.2719
Fax 618.546.1556
Jasper County
Jasper County Office Building
204 West Washington, Suite 3
Newton, Illinois 62448
618.783.2523
Fax 618.783.4237
Lawrence County
Lawrence County
Courthouse 1100 State
Street Lawrenceville, IL
62439 618.943.3522
Fax 618.943.2513
Richland County
407 S Whittle Ave
Olney, Illinois 62450
618.392.4631
Fax 618.392.3993
Work Permit (Employment Certificate) Application
Items 1- 7 listed below are required to issue Work Permit (Employment Certificate) – Please bring with you to ROE office
1. ______ Work Permit (Employment Certificate) Application
2. ______ Birth Certificate
3. ______ Social Security Card (signed)
4. ______ Statement by Prospective Employer
5. ______ Recent Physical Exam (dated from within one year of application)
6. ______ Principal’s Statement (required if employed during the school year)
7. ______ Copy of Government Issued Photo ID of Legal Parent or Guardian
on Minor’s Birth Certificate or Court Order Regarding Adoption or Guardianship
*Please note that the minor MUST be present with the parent or guardian when application materials are submitted in person to any ROE #12 office
This is a requirement under section 205/12 of the IL Child Labor Law
Student Information
Minor’s Name: ____________________________________________ Minor’s Social Security Number (required): ___________________________
Address: _________________________________________________ City, State, Zip: _________________________________________________
Phone Number: ___________________________________________ Birth Date: _____________________________________________________
Employer Information
Business Name: ___________________________________________________ Contact Person: ________________________________________
Address: _________________________________________________________ City, State, Zip: _________________________________________
Phone Number: __________________________________________________ Type of Business: _________________________________________
Consent of Parent or Guardian
I hereby give my consent of my child/ward to engage in part-time employment with the employer indicated on this application and agree to comply with
the stated regulations and laws applicable to the specific type of employment for which this application is being submitted.
Signature of Parent/Guardian: ___________________________________________________ Date: __________________________________
Address: _____________________________________________________________
City, State, Zip: ________________________________________________________ Phone Number: ________________________________
https://www2.illinois.gov/idol/Laws-Rules/FLS/Pages/Child-Labor-Law-Compliance.aspx October 2021
Child Labor Law Compliance
The Illinois Child Labor Law (820 ILCS 205/1 et seq.) regulates the employment of minors under the age
of 16 years and requires all minors to have employment certificates.
The Superintendents of Schools or their duly authorized agents issue employment certificates for
minors enrolled in school and children under the age of 13 who are involved in certain activities such
as talent shows and movie production.
Required Procedures For Teens
1. “Letter of intent to hire” must be obtained from all prospective employers. The letter must
outline hours worked.
2. Teen and parent or guardian must bring this letter to an issuing officer at minor’s school or
school district to obtain the required work permit.
3. The issuing officer will review criteria and verify safety before issuing the work permit.
Required Procedures For Employers
1. Employers are prohibited from hiring teens under 16 years of age who fail to present an
approved work permit.
2. Employers who employ teens without having a work permit on the premises are subject to
fines by the Department.
Hour Restrictions
1. When school is in session, children 14 and 15 years of age may work:
o Up to 3 hours per day;
o Up to 24 hours per week; and
o The combined hours of school and work may not exceed 8 hours per day.
2. When school is NOT in session (including summer vacations, holidays and weekends), children
under the age of 16 may NOT work:
o More than 8 hours per day;
o More than 6 days per week; nor
o More than 48 hours per week.
3. Allowed hours of work are 7am to 7pm except between June 1st and Labor Day, when working
hours may be extended to 9pm.
4. A scheduled meal period of at least 30 minutes shall be provided no later than the 5th
consecutive hour of work.
Employers of minors shall post a schedule stating the hours of work and time of the lunch period. The
employer shall also furnish any minor with a statement describing the specific nature of the work to be
performed and the hour and days the minor is to work. The minor must present this statement to the
issuing officer at the minor’s school (or the school district if the child has not yet been enrolled in
school) along with a copy of minor’s birth certificate. The minor must be accompanied by a parent or
guardian.
When both the Illinois Child Labor Law and Fair Labor Standards Act provisions cover the
establishment, the stricter of the two laws will prevail.
Exemptions
The Child Labor Law does not apply to the following:
• Sale and distribution of magazines and newspapers at hours when the school of the district are
not in session;
• Employment of a minor outside of school hours in and around a home of an employer when
the work is not business related;
• Work of a minor 13 or more years of age, in caddying at a golf course;
• Minors 12 and 13 years of age employed as officials at certain sports activities.
Hazardous Occupations
• In, about or in conjunction with any public messenger or deliver service, bowling alley, pool
room, billiard room, skating rink (except an ice skating rink owned and operated by a school or
unit of local government); exhibition park or place of amusement, garage or as a bell boy in any
hotel or rooming house or about or in connection with power-driver machinery.
• In the oiling, cleaning or wiling of machinery or shafting
• In or about any mine or quarry;
• In stone cutting or polishing;
• In or about any hazardous factory work;
• In or about any plant manufacturing explosives or articles containing explosive components, in
the use of transportation of same;
• In or about plants manufacturing iron or steel, ore reduction works, smelters, foundries,
forging shops, hot rolling mills or any place in which the heating melting or heat treating of
metals is carried on;
• In the operation of machinery used in the cold rolling of heavy metal stock, or in the operation
of power-driven punching, shearing, stamping or meta [late pending machines;
• In or about sawmills or lath, shingle or cooperage stock mills;
• In the operation of power driven woodworking machines or off bearing from circular saws;
• In the operation of freight elevators or hoisting machines and cranes;
• In spray painting or in occupations involving exposure to lead or its compounds or to
dangerous or poisonous dyes or chemicals;
• In any place or establishment in which intoxicating alcoholic liquors are served or sold for
consumption on the premises, or in which such liquors are manufactured or bottled; except as
follows:
A. busboy and kitchen employment, not otherwise prohibited, when in connection
with the service of meals at any private club, fraternal organization or veteran’s
organization shall not be prohibited by this subsection;
B. this subsection 13 does not apply to employment that is performed on property
owned or operated by a park district, as defined in subsection (a) of Section 1-3 of
the Park District Code, if the employment is not otherwise prohibited by law;
• In oil refineries, gasoline blending plants or pumping stations on oil transmission lines;
• In operation of laundry, dry cleaning or dying machinery;
• In occupations involving exposure to radioactive substances;
• In or about any filling station or service station;
• In construction work, including demolition and repair;
• In roofing operations;
• In excavating operations;
• In logging operations;
• In public and private utilities and related services;
• In operations in or in connection with slaughtering, meat packing, poultry processing and fish
and seafood processing.
• In operations which involve working on an elevated surface, with or without use of equipment,
including but not limited to ladders and scaffolds;
• In security positions or any occupation that requires the use or carrying of a firearm or other
• Weapon; or
• In occupations which involve the handling or storage of blood, blood products, body fluids or
body tissue.
STATEMENT OF PROSPECTIVE EMPLOYER
Being familiar with the Illinois Child Labor Laws that appear on the second page of the applicant’s work
permit application, I hereby expect to give employment – upon receipt of a proper Employment Certificate
as required by law to (Applicant’s Name):________________________________________________
For employment as (Specific Position): __________________________________________________
Hour Restrictions
1. When school is in session, children 14 and 15 years of age may work:
o Up to 3 hours per day;
o Up to 24 hours per week; and
o The combined hours of school and work may not exceed 8 hours per day.
2. When school is NOT in session (including summer vacations, holidays and weekends), children under the age of 16 may
NOT work:
o More than 8 hours per day;
o More than 6 days per week; nor
o More than 48 hours per week.
3. Allowed hours of work are 7am to 7pm except between June 1st and Labor Day, when working hours may be extended to
9pm.
4. A scheduled meal period of at least 30 minutes shall be provided no later than the 5th consecutive hour of work.
Please provide the working hours and employer information below
I can verify that the employee will be working for no more than:
______ hours (3 hrs. max) on school days between ______ and ______
and/or
______ hours (8 hrs. max) on non-school days between _______ and _______
Employer/Manager’s Printed Name: ______________________________________________
Title: _______________________________________________________________________
Company Name: ______________________________________________________________
Address: ____________________________________________________________________
Telephone Number: ___________________________________________________________
Employer/Manager’s Signature: __________________________________________________
Date: __________________________
A copy of an official physical exam may be accepted in lieu of the above form
if said physical examination was performed within one year of application for work permit.
Student Employment Perm
it
Certificate of Physical Fitness
Required by Section 12 of the Child Labor Law, 820 ILCS 205/1-22
Name_____________________________Date of Birth _________________________
Address ______________________________________________________________
City __________________________State ___________Zip Code ________________
Gender _______________Eye Color ________________Hair Color _______________
Name of Employer ______________________________________________________
Address of Employer_____________________________________________________
City __________________________State ___________ZIP Code ________________
Description of Work Requested:
Remarks: (Physical Fitness for Requested Work):
Name of Examiner ____________________________
Signature of Examiner ____________________________
Date __________________
Regional Office of
Education
#12
S
e
rving the students and educational professionals of Clay, Crawford, Jasper, Lawrence, and Richland Counties, Illinois
State Of Illinois, Department Of Labor
Principal’s Statement To Issuing Officer
Required by Section 12 of the Child Labor Law, 820 ILCS 205/1-22
Date ___________________Name of School ________________________________________
This is to certify that the undersigned has interviewed _________________________________
residing at _____________________________________________________________ and that
said minor requests that an employment certificate be issued permitting employment outside
of school hours.
The school records disclose that above-named minor was born __________________ and has
completed the _________ Grade. The minor is in school from _________ AM to _________ PM
with _________ hour for lunch.
Parents’ names are:
Parents/Legal Guardians: _________________________ _________________________
According to the school records, above-named minor is making satisfactory progress;
therefore, I recommend an employment certificate be issued for present employment.
Principal _______________________________ By ____________________________________
MINOR, PLEASE NOTE: EMPLOYMENT CERTIFICATES ARE ISSUED BY CITY AND COUNTY
SUPERINTENDENTS OF SCHOOLS OR THEIR DULY
AUTHORIZED AGENTS IN EACH SCHOOL DISTRICT.
NOTE: THIS IS NOT AN EMPLOYMENT CERTIFICATE BUT SHOULD BE DELIVERED TO THE ISSUING
OFFICER WHO WILL ISSUE NECESSARY CERTIFICATE AS REQUIRED BY LAW. THIS FORM MAY BE
REPRODUCED BY LOCAL SCHOOL AUTHORITIES AND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ADDED IF NECESSARY
TO MEET LOCAL CONDITIONS.
