Dear Superintendent,

As Massachusetts teenagers prepare for summer jobs, the Attorney General’s Office encourages educators to help minors stay safe at work.

 The Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office enforces the Massachusetts youth employment laws, including the work permit laws. By issuing work permits, you and your representatives play an important role in keeping young workers safe. We therefore encourage you and your designees who issue work permits to review this flowchart summarizing the work permit process and to share this information with students and parents. Should you have any further questions about work permits, please contact the Department of Labor Standards (www.mass.gov/dols). 

I also encourage you to distribute the attached letter to every parent or guardian of a high school student in your district. The letter encourages parents and teens to talk about workplace safety and informs teens about their rights as employees. Should you, district parents or students have questions about youth employment or the MA wage and hour laws, please do not hesitate to contact our Fair Labor Division at (617) 727-3465. Workers who believe their rights have been violated at work should file complaints with the Fair Labor Division on our website (www.mass.gov/ago/fld).  

Finally, I am enclosing a Fact Sheet for School Administrators, Educators, and Personnel which highlights protections for young immigrant workers who are particularly vulnerable to workplace exploitation. Most of us have read recently about the horrific working conditions that some immigrant youth are forced to endure to support themselves and their families. It is important to note that all workers, irrespective of immigration status, are protected by our wage and hour laws. 

Thank you for your commitment to your students’ safety in and out of school. I look forward to partnering with you on these and other issues impacting children.  Please don’t hesitate to contact Lauren Moran, Chief of our Fair Labor Division, at Lauren.Moran@mass.gov or 617-963-2264, if you have any questions about the rights of young workers. 

Sincerely, 

Andrea Joy Campbell

Massachusetts Attorney General