Working Permits: 14 to 16 years of age
Educational Certificate: 16 to 18 years of age
Before entering into employment, a minor between the ages of 14 and up to 18 must procure the proper Work Permit or Educational Certificate from the Brockton School Department located at the Crosby Administration Building, 43 Crescent Street, Brockton, Massachusetts. No permit or certificate will be issued unless the Commonwealth of Massachusetts deems the employment appropriate.
A minor seeking a Work Permit must have a yellow Promise of Employment card obtained from reception desk at the school department central office. The employer, including name and address of the company, must fill out this card on the front and specifically state what the minor will do for employment. The minor’s physician must sign the back of this card. The child must, also, secure an orange School Record card from the office of the school that the child currently attends. Once the minor has completed these steps, he/she returns to the central office reception desk with the two cards and a legal form of identification (birth certificate, learner's permit, resident alien card, etc.). One copy of the permit is kept on file at the central office until it has expired.
A minor seeking an Educational Certificate must present to the reception desk at the school department a legal form of identification (birth certificate, driver's license, resident alien card, etc). The minor must also know the name and address of the perspective employer and the nature of his/her employment. One copy of the certificate is kept on file at the central office until expiration.
A new permit or certificate must be secured for every job the minor has between the ages of 14 and 18. Also, if the minor has a work permit and is still at the same place of employment at the time of his/her 16th birthday then an Educational Certificate must be secured.
Minors between the ages of 14 and 16 may secure part-time employment for periods of three hours a day while school is in session, to total no more than 18 in a week. They may not work before 7:00 am and not after 7:00 pm. During the period of July 1 through Labor Day this changes to no more than eight hours a day, and evening hours are extended to no later than 9:00 pm.
Minors between the ages of 16 and 18 may work up to eight hours a day, for 48 hours a week. They may not work before 6:00 am or after 10:00 pm. The exception to this rule is when employed in a restaurant when work hours are extended to 12:00 am, on Friday, and Saturday evenings, and during school vacations.