July 6, 2000

Announcements

Employment of Minors

UW departments that employ minors (children between 14 and 17 years) need to follow regulations of the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) and Washington Department of Labor and Industries (L&I). Human Resources maintains an Employment of Minors web site http://www.washington.edu/admin/uwjobs/hire/minor.employ.html with links to both DOL and L&I for the most current information. Information on employing minors is also available in the UW Operations Manual (D 44.3). Here are answers to some of the most frequently asked questions:

What is the minimum wage for minors? Washington State minimum wage for minors is $6.50 / hour.

Do UW Departments need a minor work permit? No. The UW has a work permit exemption as a Washington State institution and public employer.

What forms or files are required? You will need to prepare a job description and work schedule, obtain proof of age, and complete a Parent/School Authorization Form available on the above Web site or by calling 543-2076. All these materials should be kept in your departmental personnel files.

What hours can minors work? 14-15 year olds are limited to three hours of work on school days, and eight hours on other days; 16 hours a week during the school year and 40 hours a week when school is out of session. 16 and 17 year olds can work four hours on most school days, and eight hours Friday through Sunday, 20 hours a week, and up to 48 hours a week when school is out. Older minors also can apply for a special variance allowing them to work up to 28 hours a week during the school year.

What are the rest break requirements? Minors must have a 30 minute meal break for every four hours of work, and a 10 minute rest break for every two hours of work.

What duties cannot be assigned to minors? Minors are prohibited from performing certain hazardous duties. These prohibitions include: handling hazardous materials, any work requiring protective equipment, operation of vehicles, power machinery, or earth-moving equipment, excavation work, flagging, cooking/baking, roofing and window washing.

Do minor employment regulations apply to UW students? Yes. UW students under age 18 are covered by the same regulations. However, some exemptions to work hours and duty restrictions may apply to 16- and 17-year-olds or those who are married, are parents, or emancipated under Washington State law.

Can minors under age 14 be employed? Employment of a minor under age 14 generally requires two things: (1) The employer must obtain a court order allowing the child to work from the superior court of the county where the child resides and/or will be employed. (2) The employer must request a variance from the Employment Standards Program in L&I. Exceptions for actors/performers require only the variance.

What about enforcement and penalties for violations? Enforcement agencies periodically conduct compliance audits. Where DOL and L&I regulations differ, the stricter standard applies. Violations are subject to substantial fines and penalties. Both civil penalties (up to $10,000) and criminal penalties can be assessed for each violation. In serious cases, a Class C felony or gross misdemeanor charge can be filed.

For more information contact Human Resources at 543-2076; email jhn@u.washington.edu or visit the Employment of Minors Web site at http://www.washington.edu/admin/uwjobs/hire/minor.employ.html.

Funding Opportunities

The UW Pacific Northwest Agricultural Safety and Health Center, funded by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, is pleased to announce funding opportunities for pilot projects related to agricultural safety and health. The primary goal of the Center is to enhance occupational safety and health research, education, and prevention in the Region X (Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Alaska) agricultural industries. For the purposes of the Center, agriculture includes the industries of farming, fishing, and forestry, Up to 3 pilot projects will be funded for the duration of one year, starting on Sept. 29. The total direct cost of the award is $15,000 to $25,000. A letter of intent is due on July 3, and the application deadline is July 24.

Please contact Matthew Keifer with questions regarding potential ideas at 616-1452 or mkeifer@u.washington.edu. Applications may be obtained by calling Marcy Harrington at 616-1958 or marcyw@u.washington.edu. To learn more about PNASH and the Pilot Project program, please visit out Web site at http://depts.washington.edu/pnash.

Degree Exams

Members of the graduate faculty are invited to attend the following examinations. Chairpersons are denoted in parentheses.

General Examinations