Employment What is the minimum age for a child to work? In the UK, children are permitted to work on a full-time basis once they are 16-years-old, however, children are permitted to begin working earlier on in life.
- At the age of 13, only ‘light work’ jobs.
- At the age of 14, fewer restrictions on the nature of the job but some restrictions still apply.
- Once the child is 16, he/she is labelled as a ‘young worker’. What are ‘light work’ jobs? ‘Light work’ refers to safe jobs, having little to no tedious roles, such roles would include shop work, including shelf stacking, hairdressing salons, office work and domestic work in hotels and other establishments offering accommodation
Proof of Age An employer must acquire proof of age to confirm the young worker is eligible to work before commencing the role. If proof of age is not attained, the employer will be subject to fines and/or prosecution
Children Wages – Under 16’s
Those under the age of 16 are not entitled to be paid the National Minimum Wage. This means that there is no set hourly rate for them to be paid. Additionally, because they do not contribute to National Insurance, those under 16’s do not need to be added onto the payroll (except if their earning capacity surpasses the personal allowance).
Children Wages – 16 to 17’s
Once a person has reached 16 years of age, they are entitled to a minimum of £4.55/hour (as of May 2021). Registered employers are required to keep a detailed record of their employee’s wages for the running payroll. Additionally, where an employee earns a minimum of £120 per calendar week, the employer is obligated to register them with PAYE, for the relevant deductions to be made.
Health & Safety Obligations
Employers are obligated to commence a risk assessment. Where a young person is involved, any information about the risk assessment is to be handed to either the child’s parent or guardian. General obligations regarding health and safety are as follows:
- No work that is beyond the child’s capacity
- No proximity to harmful substances
- Safe location and low chances of mishaps due to lack of experience.
Disability Discrimination What is harassment & discrimination?
- Harassment is when a person is subject to uncalled for, degrading or tormenting acts caused by another.
- Discrimination is when a person is subjected to treatment that is different than it may be regarded as unfair.
Equality Act 2010 The Equality Act 2010 is the main legal source for harassment and discrimination. Harassment is regarded as an act of unlawful discrimination. Covered by the Act are ‘protected characteristics’, these are characteristics that are safeguarded under the act, the following consist of factors one can be discriminated against:
- Age
- Race
- Religious beliefs
- Sexuality
- Disabilities
Public Sector Equality Duties
The above examples of discrimination make up only a fraction of those performed in real life. The Equality Act 2010 outlines the public body’s obligatory role of a ‘general duty’ towards safeguarding the above-stated ‘protected characteristics. Their role is to work towards reducing discrimination and encouraging the notion of equality within society. The public authorities referred to cover:
- Local county council
- Educational establishments
- Local authority concerning the pupil referral units
- Owner of a City Technology College, City College for Technology or the Arts, or an Academy (including the owner of a Free School)
Further steps… In cases where you or someone you know has fallen victim to the described discrimination in a maintained school, consider the following:
- Set up a meeting with the education provider’s head authority
- Speak to the Governing Body for Local Authority
- Where the first two are unsuccessful, consider filing a complaint:
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- Maintained school complaint to the Local Authority
- Academy complain to Education Funding Agency Parental Responsibility Orders
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