Article 2 - Permits to Work

California Education Code — §§ 49110-49120

Sections (13)

Amended by Stats. 2009, Ch. 214, Sec. 1. (AB 66) Effective January 1, 2010.

(a)It is the intent of the Legislature that school district, charter school, and private school personnel responsible for issuing work permits to pupils have a working knowledge of California labor laws as they relate to minors and be trained to provide pupils with practical personal guidance

in career education.

(b)Any of the following individuals may issue a work permit to a minor subject to the requirements and conditions of this chapter:

(1)The superintendent of a school district in which the minor resides.

(2)The chief executive officer, or the equivalent position, of a charter school that the minor attends.

(3)A person holding a services credential with a specialization in pupil personnel services authorized by the superintendent of the school district or chief executive officer in writing, or a certificated work experience education teacher or coordinator authorized by the superintendent of the school district or chief executive officer in writing.

(4)If the minor resides in a portion of a county not under the jurisdiction of the superintendent of a school district and does not attend a charter

school, the county superintendent of schools, a person holding a services credential with a specialization in pupil personnel services authorized by the county superintendent of schools in writing, or a certificated work experience education teacher or coordinator authorized by the county superintendent of schools in writing

may issue a work permit.

(5)Subject to the requirements and conditions in subparagraphs (A) to (C), inclusive, the principal of a public or private school may issue, or designate another administrator in the school to issue, work permits to pupils who attend the school. If the principal of a public or private school chooses not to issue work permits pursuant to this paragraph, work permits may be issued to pupils attending that school pursuant to paragraph (1), (3), or (4) or Section 49110.1.

(A)A principal who issues a work permit pursuant to this paragraph shall provide a self-certification that he or she understands the requirements in existing law

for issuing a work permit. The principal shall submit a copy of each work permit he or she issues along with a copy of the application for each work permit to the superintendent of the school district in which the school is located.

(B)The superintendent of a school district may revoke a work permit issued by the principal of a public or private school located within the district if the superintendent becomes aware of any grounds upon which the pupil may be deemed ineligible for a work permit under existing law.

(C)An individual with authority to issue a work permit pursuant to this subdivision shall not issue a work permit to his or her own child.

(c)A work permit shall not be issued until the written request for the permit

from the parent, guardian, foster parent, caregiver with whom the minor resides, or residential shelter services provider, has been filed with the issuing authority. “Residential shelter services” refers to residential and other support services provided to minors by a governmental agency, a person or agency under contract with a governmental agency to provide these services, an agency receiving funding from community funds, or a licensed community care facility or crisis resolution center on a temporary or emergency basis in a facility that services only minors.

(d)If the certificated person designated to issue work permits by the superintendent of a school district or the chief executive officer, or the equivalent position, of a charter school is not available, and delay in issuing a permit would jeopardize the ability of a pupil to secure work, another person authorized by the

superintendent of the school district or the chief executive officer, or the equivalent position, of a charter school may issue the work permit.

(e)If a school district or charter school does not employ or contract with a person holding a services credential with a specialization in pupil personnel services or with a certificated work experience education teacher or coordinator, the superintendent of the school district or the chief executive officer, or the equivalent position, of a charter school may authorize, in writing, a person who does not hold that credential to issue work permits during periods

of time in which the superintendent is absent from the district or the chief executive officer is absent from the charter school.

(f)Notwithstanding the hour limitations imposed by this chapter or any other provision of law, the hour limitations that apply to a work permit issued by any of the individuals described in subdivision (b) shall be based on the school calendar of the school the pupil attends.

§ 49110.1

Added by Stats. 1977, Ch. 117.

The superintendent of any school district may designate the principal or other person having charge of a private school within the district, in which pupils are enrolled pursuant to Section 48222, as a person authorized to issue work permits to pupils of the school, in accordance with this chapter. Where the pupil resides in a portion of the county not under the jurisdiction of the superintendent of any school district, the county superintendent of schools may designate the principal or other person having charge of a private school as the person authorized to issue such work permits. The superintendent of the school district, or the county superintendent of schools as the case may be, shall periodically ascertain that the designated person has complied with the requirements of this chapter pertaining to issuing authorities.

§ 49110.5

Added by Stats. 2023, Ch. 271, Sec. 2. (AB 800) Effective January 1, 2024.

(a)The week of each year that includes April 28 shall be known as “Workplace Readiness Week.” All public high schools, including charter schools, shall annually observe that week by providing information to pupils on their rights as workers. The topics covered shall include, but are not limited to, all the following:

(1)Local, state, and federal laws regarding each of the following issues:

(A)Prohibitions against misclassification of employees as independent contractors.

(B)Child labor.

(C)Wage and hour protections.

(D)Worker safety.

(E)Workers’ compensation.

(F)Unemployment insurance.

(G)Paid Sick Leave, Paid Family Leave, State Disability Insurance, and the California Family Rights Act.

(H)The right to organize a union in the workplace.

(I)Prohibitions against retaliation by employers when workers exercise these or any other rights guaranteed by law.

(2)The labor movement’s role in winning the protections and benefits described in subparagraphs (A) to (I), inclusive, of paragraph (1).

(3)An introduction

to state-approved apprenticeship programs in California, how to access them, the variety of programs available, and how they can provide an alternative career path for those who do not attend college.

(b)For pupils in grades 11 and 12, the observances required by this section shall be integrated into the regular school program, consistent with the history-social science framework, but may also include special events after regular school hours. This integration is encouraged, but not required, to occur during Workplace Readiness Week.

(c)(1) Beginning August 1, 2024, any minor seeking the signature of a verifying authority on a Statement of Intent to Employ a Minor and Request for a Work Permit-Certificate of Age under this chapter shall be issued, before or at the time of receiving the signature of the verifying authority, a document clearly explaining

basic labor rights extended to workers.

(2)Topics covered in this document shall include, but are not limited to, those identified in subparagraphs (A) to (I), inclusive, of paragraph (1) of subdivision (a).

(3)The University of California Berkeley Center for Labor Research and Education is encouraged to produce, with input from bona fide labor organizations, a draft template for the document to be provided to minors, including translations into other languages, including, but not limited to, Spanish, Chinese, Tagalog, Vietnamese, and Korean.

(4)The document shall express these labor rights in plain, natural terminology easily understood by the pupil.

(5)The document shall be in a physical form in English and shall include both a Uniform Resource

Locator for, and a quick response code linked to, an internet website with electronic versions of the document, and any translated versions of the document, produced by the University of California Berkeley Center for Labor Research and Education pursuant to paragraph (3).

(d)The Superintendent shall annually send a written notice, detailing requirements of Workplace Readiness Week and how teachers may access related instructional materials and other resources, to every public high school, including charter schools, at least one month before Workplace Readiness Week.

§ 49111

Amended by Stats. 1977, Ch. 1221.

A permit to work may be issued to any minor over the age of 12 years and under the age of 18 years to be employed on a regular school holiday, during the regular vacation of the public school, during such time as the minor is exempt from compulsory school attendance pursuant to Section 48231, and during the period of a specified occasional public school vacation in any of the establishments or occupations not otherwise prohibited by law.

§ 49112

Amended by Stats. 1992, Ch. 1189, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 1993.

(a)Except as provided in subdivisions (b) and (c), a permit to work may be issued to a minor who has completed the equivalent of the 7th grade in a public school course to work outside of school hours for a period of time not to exceed three hours in any day while school is in session if the minor is 14 or 15 years of age, or four hours in any day in which he or she is required by law to attend school if the minor is 16 or 17 years of age.

(b)Notwithstanding subdivision (a), a permit to work may be issued, at the school district’s discretion, to a minor 13 years of age if he or she has completed grade 6, has been identified by the school district in which he or she is enrolled as exhibiting the potential to drop out of school, and is a participant in an employment program that is conducted on school premises and sponsored by one or more school districts, provided the program serves to foster the development of an appreciation by the pupil of the importance of education in preparing a pupil for future education and employment. The permit shall limit the period any minor age 13 may work pursuant to this subdivision to two hours on any given day, up to a maximum of four hours each week.

(c)A permit to work may also be issued to a minor age 16 or older to work outside of school hours for a period of time not to exceed eight hours in any day in which the minor is required by law to attend school and which is immediately prior to a nonschoolday.

(d)Nothing in this section shall apply to any minor employed to deliver newspapers to consumers.

§ 49113

Enacted by Stats. 1976, Ch. 1010.

A permit to work may be issued to a minor who is under the age of 18 years and over the age of 14 years who is regularly enrolled in a high school or community college or who has been assigned to a vocational course in a place of employment, and who will work part time as a properly enrolled pupil in a work experience education course that meets all the requirements of such course as provided in Sections 51760 to 51769, inclusive.

§ 49114

Enacted by Stats. 1976, Ch. 1010.

The person authorized to issue permits to work or to employ may issue to any minor a certificate of age when the minor accompanied by his parent, guardian, or other person in control or charge of the minor, presents to the authority, the evidence of age specified in this chapter. The certificate of age shall serve as a permit to employ a minor who is not by law required to attend school, and who is otherwise required to hold a permit to work.

§ 49115

Enacted by Stats. 1976, Ch. 1010.

The permit to employ shall contain:

(a)The name, age, birth date, address and phone number of the minor.

(b)The place and hours of compulsory part-time school attendance for the minor, or statement of exemption therefrom, and the hours of compulsory full-time school attendance for the minor, if the permit is issued for outside of school hours.

(c)The maximum number of hours per day and per week the student may work while school is in session.

(d)The minor’s social security number.

(e)The signature of the minor and the issuing authority.

(f)The date on which the permit expires.

§ 49116

Amended by Stats. 1995, Ch. 887, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 1996.

(a)While school is in session, an employer shall not employ a minor 14 or 15 years of age for more than three hours in any day, nor more than 18 hours in any week, nor during school hours, except that a minor enrolled in and employed pursuant to a school-supervised and school-administered work experience and career exploration program may be employed for no more than 23 hours, any portion of which may be during school hours.

(b)An employer shall not employ a minor 16 or 17 years of age for more than four hours in any day in which that minor is required by law to attend school for 240 minutes or more, except as follows:

(1)The minor is employed in personnel attendance occupations, as defined in the Industrial Welfare Commission Minimum Wage Order No. 15, school-approved work experience, or cooperative vocational education programs.

(2)The minor has been issued a permit to work pursuant to subdivision (c) of Section 49112 and is employed in accordance with the provisions of that permit.

(c)If evidence is shown, to the satisfaction of the authority issuing the permit to work, that the schoolwork or the health of the minor is being impaired by the employment, that authority may revoke the permit.

(d)Nothing in this section shall apply to any minor employed to deliver newspapers to consumers.

§ 49117

Enacted by Stats. 1976, Ch. 1010.

All permits to work or to employ, all certificates of age, and certificates of health pursuant to this chapter, shall be issued on forms prepared and provided by the Superintendent of Public Instruction. Local school districts authorized to issue permits to work may be authorized by the Superintendent of Public Instruction to produce permits to work.

§ 49118

Enacted by Stats. 1976, Ch. 1010.

Permits to work issued during the school year shall expire five days after the opening of the next succeeding school year.

§ 49119

Enacted by Stats. 1976, Ch. 1010.

Nothing in this article shall require a minor to obtain a permit to work in order for such minor to participate in horseback riding exhibitions, contests or events specified in paragraph (3) of subdivision (b) of Section 1308 of the Labor Code.

§ 49120

Added by Stats. 2018, Ch. 420, Sec. 1. (SB 1428) Effective January 1, 2019.

A work permit shall not be denied on the basis of a pupil’s grades, grade point average, or school attendance if the pupil is applying for the work permit in order to participate in a government-administered employment and training program that will occur during the regular summer recess or vacation of the school that the pupil attends.