Can 14-Year-Olds Work in Australia? What Employers Need to Know

Thinking about bringing a 14-year-old onto your team? Many small businesses do. Young workers can bring energy, enthusiasm and a long runway for training - but hiring anyone under 15 in Australia comes with extra legal rules.

As an employer, your responsibilities go beyond offering a first job. You’ll need to comply with state and territory child employment laws, the Fair Work system (including junior pay rates and awards), and basic safety and supervision standards designed to protect young people at work.

In this guide, we’ll walk through when 14-year-olds can work, what they can do, the limits on hours, what you need to pay and document, and a simple checklist so you can get set up the right way.

Why Hire Young Workers - And What Should You Watch Out For?

Hiring 14-year-olds can make sense for retailers, hospitality venues, entertainment and community businesses. You can train to your standards early, build loyalty, and expand coverage for busy periods like weekends and holidays.

However, there are risks if you don’t follow the rules. Fines and enforceable undertakings can apply for breaches of child employment laws, not to mention reputational damage if something goes wrong.

A safe approach is to plan your onboarding process for young workers carefully - from parental consent and training, to supervised shifts and clear written expectations.

What Are The Minimum Working Ages In Australia?

Unlike adult employment, child employment rules are primarily set by each state or territory. Some jurisdictions have a general minimum age; others allow work younger than 15 but limit the kinds of tasks and hours.

Below is a high-level overview to help you frame your hiring approach. Always check the specific laws that apply to your location and industry before you make an offer.

New South Wales

There’s no single “minimum working age” for general employment in NSW, but strict limits apply around hours of work, school attendance, prohibited work types and entertainment industry permits. If you operate in NSW, it’s worth reviewing a focused guide on the legal age to start working in NSW so you can align your rosters and roles with the rules.

Victoria

Victoria requires a child employment permit for most under-15 work (with limited exceptions like family businesses). There are rules about supervision, types of work, and maximum hours during school and non‑school periods.

Queensland

Queensland generally allows work from 13 years (and from 11 for newspaper/advertising delivery), with strict limits on work during school hours, early/late shifts and maximum hours per day and per week.

Western Australia

WA allows work from 13 for certain industries like retail and fast food, with limits on hours, late-night work and the need for a responsible adult in some cases. Younger children have narrower exceptions (e.g. newspaper delivery).

South Australia

SA focuses on work that interferes with schooling or is unsafe. While there isn’t a single general minimum age statute, practical limits apply around hours, prohibited high-risk work and school attendance.

Tasmania

Tasmania restricts hazardous work and work that interferes with school. Younger workers can undertake light work with appropriate conditions, supervision and safe systems of work.

ACT

The ACT permits light work for school-aged children, with rules on hours, breaks, safe duties and supervision. Specific approvals may be needed for entertainment work.

Northern Territory

The NT allows light work that doesn’t harm health, safety or schooling, alongside time-of-day and break requirements.

Across all jurisdictions, entertainment, modelling and performance roles are often subject to extra permits and conditions. If your business operates in multiple states, build a single policy that meets the strictest of your locations to simplify compliance.

What Can 14-Year-Olds Do At Work?

At 14, many young workers are legally limited to “light duties.” This usually means tasks that don’t involve hazardous machinery or high-risk environments, are suitable for their physical and mental development, and are supervised.

Typical roles can include customer service (e.g. greeting, basic service), shelf-stacking, basic food prep that doesn’t involve dangerous equipment, dishwashing, table clearing, ticketing, or simple admin tasks. Roles that require serving alcohol or working in licensed areas come with separate restrictions (and usually aren’t allowed for 14-year-olds).

As an employer, you should complete a risk assessment for each role you plan to offer to a young worker. If any task involves sharp blades, hot surfaces, heavy lifting, high-risk chemicals, working alone, or late-night environments, rethink the allocation or put in place extra controls and supervision.

Finally, remember that the relevant modern award still applies. Award coverage determines minimum pay, junior rates, penalty rates, overtime, breaks and allowances - regardless of the worker’s age.

Hours, Breaks And Rostering Rules For Young Workers

Most states and territories limit the hours that children can work on school days, the times they can start and finish, and total weekly hours. Common themes include:

• Not working during school hours and limiting school-night shifts.
• Earlier finish times than adults (e.g. not past a certain hour in the evening).
• Maximum shift lengths and weekly totals, especially during term time.
• Stronger supervision requirements, particularly for hospitality and retail.

On top of child employment rules, the Fair Work system sets break and rostering requirements. Build your rosters to comply with award rules, including break entitlements and any minimum engagement periods that apply to juniors in your industry.

It’s also smart to map out the process you’ll use to allocate hours compliantly - for example, how you’ll record school days, who checks finish times, and how you’ll ensure adequate rest between shifts. If you don’t already have them, consider setting clear processes that align with the legal requirements for employee rostering, including safe staffing and record-keeping.

As a practical tip, never roster a 14-year-old without confirming the next day’s school commitments and planned transport. Building in a buffer ensures you also meet any minimum break between shifts required by the relevant award or agreement.

Pay, Super And Paperwork: What Do You Need To Put In Place?

When hiring a 14-year-old, your obligations are similar to any other employee - with a few age-specific twists.

Pay And Junior Rates

Pay rates for juniors are typically a percentage of the adult rate under the applicable modern award, and the percentage changes as the employee gets older. Confirm the award coverage for your business and check junior rates, penalty rates and loadings. To make sure you’re aligned, review your obligations under Modern Awards before you make an offer.

Superannuation

From 1 July 2022, the $450 monthly earnings threshold was removed. However, employees under 18 are eligible for Superannuation Guarantee contributions only if they work more than 30 hours in a week. Track hours closely for juniors and set payroll alerts so you don’t miss a super payment when they cross that threshold.

Tax And Payroll Setup

Young employees still need to complete a Tax File Number declaration, and you’ll need to onboard them in your payroll system with accurate date of birth and junior rate settings. Maintain timesheets and wage records with extra care for juniors, as regulators focus on underpayments and rostering compliance for young workers.

Written Employment Terms

Even for a simple after-school role, always issue a written contract. Clear terms help manage expectations and reduce the risk of disputes. If you typically hire hospitality or retail juniors, have a template ready - a Casual Employment Contract will usually be appropriate for short, irregular shifts.

Parental Consent And Communication

In many jurisdictions, you’ll need parental consent for under-15 employment, and even where it’s not mandatory, it’s a sensible safeguard. Use a short, plain-English Parental Consent Form that covers the role, typical hours, supervision, and emergency contacts.

Privacy And Young Workers

You may hold personal information about a junior employee and their parent/guardian. Keep data collection to what’s necessary and store it securely. If you’re formalising your practices, consider having an internal handbook that sets out how you handle employee data and records in line with privacy principles (an Employee Privacy Handbook can help standardise your approach).

What Should 14-Year-Olds Not Do At Work?

Beyond obvious hazards, under-15s are generally restricted from tasks that are:

• Dangerous or physically demanding (e.g. operating high‑risk machinery, working at heights, exposure to hot oil or commercial slicers).
• Unsuitable for their age and development (e.g. working alone late at night, cash‑in‑transit, crowd control).
• Inconsistent with schooling, such as shifts during school hours or finishing too late on a school night.

Prohibited duties vary by state. If a role involves any of the above, redesign the position for a junior or assign those tasks to adults. Supervision must be meaningful - a supervisor should be present and able to intervene, not simply “on call.”

Step‑By‑Step Checklist To Hire A 14‑Year‑Old Legally

1) Confirm Your State/Territory Rules

Check if your location requires a child employment permit, notification to an authority, or specific industry conditions (especially entertainment and hospitality). Build these requirements into your hiring timeline.

2) Select Suitable Duties

Draft a safe, age‑appropriate position description. Remove high‑risk tasks and plan active supervision. Complete a risk assessment for the role and update your safety procedures.

3) Set Pay And Hours

Determine award coverage and junior rates, including penalties and loadings. Map out maximum hours for school/non‑school weeks and set earliest start and latest finish times that meet local rules.

4) Prepare Your Employment Documents

Issue a written contract (for most juniors, a Casual Employment Contract is suitable). Collect a signed Parental Consent Form and emergency contacts. Provide induction materials and safety instructions in plain English.

5) Onboard In Payroll

Set junior rates correctly, establish your super triggers for under‑18s (30+ hours in a week), and collect TFN declarations. Implement reliable timesheet processes and roster checks to avoid breaches.

6) Train And Supervise

Deliver a structured induction, including safety, customer service and escalation procedures. Assign a supervisor who understands the legal limits for juniors and the workplace’s safety rules.

7) Monitor And Review

Check rosters weekly for compliance (school nights, hours caps, breaks). Keep communication open with parents or guardians, and record any incidents or near misses to improve your controls.

Common Compliance Traps To Avoid

• Rostering past the allowed finish times during school terms.
• Assigning “light kitchen work” that actually involves hazardous equipment or hot oil.
• Missing super contributions when a junior works 30+ hours in a week.
• Underpaying junior penalty rates or forgetting Saturday/Sunday loadings.
• Not collecting parental consent where required, or failing to keep emergency contacts on hand.
• Leaving a young worker unsupervised at closing time or during cash‑up.

Simple systems go a long way - standardised contracts, consent forms, safe rosters and clear policies create a safer workplace and reduce your legal risk.

Key Takeaways

• Yes, 14‑year‑olds can work in Australia, but the rules depend on your state or territory and the industry, with strict limits on duties, hours and supervision.
• Make sure the role is age‑appropriate, low‑risk and supervised, and confirm award coverage so junior pay rates, penalties and breaks are correct.
• Use clear documents - a written contract and a Parental Consent Form - and maintain accurate rosters and records to demonstrate compliance.
• Under‑18s receive super if they work more than 30 hours in a week; set up payroll alerts so you don’t miss a contribution.
• Plan rosters around school attendance, earlier finish times and required rest breaks to keep within the law and protect young workers.
• Getting tailored legal guidance early helps you design safe roles, compliant documents and robust processes from day one.

If you’d like a consultation on hiring 14‑year‑olds in your business, you can reach us at 1800 730 617 or team@sprintlaw.com.au for a free, no‑obligations chat.