Schools and learning

The Law

It is illegal to employ a child:

• under 13 years of age
• Without a work permit
• For more than two hours on a day when school is open or on any Sunday
• during school hours
• in any factory or industrial undertaking
• in the delivery of milk
• for more than 12 hours in any week that their school is open. (This new regulation came into force in October 2000)

A child for these purposes is:
A person who is not yet over statutory school age. A child formally ceases to be of school age on the last Friday in June of the School year in which he or she reaches 16. The school year commences on 1st September.

For example, Cindy's birthday is 3rd September. She was born in 1989. She will cease to be statutory school age on 30 June 2006.