Your 13-year-old comes to you and asks permission to start babysitting so she can earn enough money for that great pair of sneakers or a new video game. Or maybe your 16-year-old wants to work at the local fast-food restaurant so he can save money for a car.

If you're like many parents, you probably think a part-time job, whether after school, on weekends, or during the summer, is a good idea. After all, working teaches teens a sense of responsibility, helps them pay for their own expenses, and teaches them that money is something that's earned. So you may be inclined to say, "Sure, take the job."

But sometimes parents may not give much thought to the risks their teens may face while working. Find out how you and your teen can choose a safe part-time job that minimizes those risks.

What Are Some Common Jobs for Teens?

There are a lot of teens who work, especially 15- to 17-year-olds. Many adolescents with jobs are employed in retail operations, including fast-food restaurants, grocery stores, and other stores. Service industries, including nursing homes, swimming pools, amusement parks, and moving companies, account for another large portion of teen labor. And a smaller number of teens who work are employed in the agricultural industry. There are also entrepreneurial activities your teen might try, such as babysitting, delivering newspapers, and dog walking.

What Are Some Risks Your Teen May Encounter?

Of course, almost all jobs offer hidden safety hazards: falling off a ladder while reaching for a box on a high shelf, slipping on a newly mopped floor, or being bitten by an unruly pet are just a few risks your teen may encounter on the job or at the workplace.

There are other job injuries that have more recently become common, such as carpal tunnel syndrome (an overuse injury in the wrists) and other repetitive stress injuries. Though mostly associated with computer work, repetitive stress injuries may also develop as the result of scanning items as a supermarket checker.

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH, which is part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) notes that each year, approximately 67 adolescents in the United States die from injuries at work and tens of thousands require treatment in hospital emergency departments.

The NIOSH cites data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics indicating that 603 workers under the age of 18 died of "fatal occupational injuries" between 1992 and 2000. And of those deaths, 362 were 16 or 17 years old, 119 were 14 or 15 years old, and 122 were under 14. According to the data, more than 30% of all fatal injuries to young workers during that time period happened in family businesses.

According to the NIOSH, the agriculture industry is the most dangerous because of the nature of the work and the machinery used; the retail industry is the second most hazardous because of robberies and assaults, as well as equipment used (especially in eating establishments).

Depending on the industry your teen is employed in, he or she may be at risk for more serious dangers, such as injuries from heavy machinery or diseases from bacteria or toxic chemicals.

Starting the Job Hunt

Once you and your teen have decided that it's time to start looking for a job, plan to spend some time searching for one that's safe and enjoyable for your teen.

Talk to your teen about what he or she wants to do. If your child is interested in pursuing medicine in college, for example, suggest a job as a nursing home worker or at a hospital. Your teen should be really interested in the job, not just taking it for money.

Try contacting the department of labor in your state. Among the things you'll find out from the labor department are: the number of hours teens can work, the hours of the day when they can work, and the types of jobs they shouldn't do. For example, in some states teens under age 16 may not be allowed to operate deli slicers or fryers in restaurants. And some teens under age 18 may not be allowed to work past 10:00 PM on school nights.

You can also get helpful information from the National Consumers League (NCL), a national organization that works (among other things) to monitor and fight child labor abuses.

If Your Teen Wants to Start a Business

How do you monitor your teen's safety if he or she wants to start a business (or work on his or her own, as in babysitting)? Check with the labor department anyway; this may help you and your teen establish some guidelines like hours to work and what kind of business he or she can do.

For example, let's say your 16-year-old wants to run a window-washing business this summer, but the labor department in your state prohibits minors from taking jobs that involve climbing ladders. Even if you know your teen is mature and responsible, the laws are there to protect teens from getting hurt.

Before your teen starts his or her own business, steer your child to the library or Internet for business and safety advice for young entrepreneurs. Your local hospital, police or fire department, Red Cross chapter, or YMCA/YWCA may have helpful information about first aid, CPR, and safety.

Before Your Teen Is Hired

The best way to find out if a job is a safe fit for your teen is to talk to him or her and ask questions such as:

• How did you find out about this job? If your teen got the tip from a trusted adult, for example, you might feel more comfortable having him or her work there than at a job listed in the classifieds with an unknown company.
• Do you know the people for whom you're working? It's one thing for your 14-year-old to babysit for your neighbors and friends. But if you don't know your teen's boss, you may want to set up an appointment to meet him or her before your teen accepts the job.
• How many hours will you work? What hours will you work - weekends, after school, school nights)? For the sake of grades and sleep, you and your teen should set limits.
• What protection will you have? If your child is working inside someone else's home or cleaning up at a restaurant after hours, find out if there's a security system and lock, as well as easy access to a phone to call 911 and other emergency numbers.
• Do you have the skills for this job? Age isn't always the key factor. A 13-year-old used to babysitting for younger siblings is more qualified for such work than the 16-year-old who's an only child with no experience watching kids. And if your teen wants to be a lifeguard but has limited swimming skills, you might steer him or her toward the snack bar instead.

Checking Out a Job Site

You might not have many questions to ask if your teen is working around the neighborhood with people you know. But you might have more questions to ask if your child's going off to a job where you don't know the people or the environment.

If you choose, get references for jobs from the school, parents, the labor department, and the Better Business Bureau. Make an appointment to meet with your teen's potential employer and take a quick tour of the work environment. Ask questions, including:

• What are the specific job responsibilities? Find out if your teen can (legally and physically) or should do what's expected.
• What sort of training is used there? You should be satisfied that your child is properly trained to handle the job, that he or she is never asked to substitute in jobs for which he or she isn't trained, and that your teen's coworkers are also trained. Teens can also benefit by being trained in emergency procedures such as first aid, CPR, and burn treatment. Your teen should know to report any injury to a supervisor immediately - no matter how minor it seems - and to get proper treatment for it ASAP.
• Who's supervising my child? In some work situations, teens' direct supervisors may not be much older than they are. So, your child's immediate boss may not know much more about the work or how to react in an emergency than your teen would.
• What other potential dangers have been addressed? A spokesperson for the Children's Safety Network provided this good advice: "I know a pizza place that uses caller id to confirm the caller's identity, the address of the delivery, and that the order was really placed." These kinds of practices ensure that your teen is delivering to a legitimate customer and increase safety overall.
• What about working late at night? Many older kids work in late-night establishments like diners, ice-cream shops, and all-night groceries. You and your child must discuss the pros and cons of such work. Ask serious questions of the employers: Who's working with my teen late at night? Is there always an adult there? What security measures are in place? And be sure to check with your local police precinct for further suggestions and information.

Keep Talking Even After Payday

Don't stop talking to your teen just because he or she has been hired. Encourage your teen to discuss work regularly and offer specifics on the workday (rather than just "it's fine"). For example, you can ask:

• What was something interesting that happened at work today?
• Are you still handling the original job, or have your responsibilities expanded?
• What are your new responsibilities?
• What kind of training did you get before you took on this additional work?
• Are you being paid more for the extra work? Why or why not?
• Do you think anything about this job will help you in your career someday?

Talking to children about their rights and experiences at work is a great way to open the lines of communication. Explain to your teen that there are laws to protect teens against sexual harassment and discrimination. Encourage your child to come to you with all work-related concerns, especially if anything "doesn't feel right."

Also make sure your child understands that with rights come responsibilities. Some employers get away with paying teens less than minimum wage by paying them "off the books" and telling them they won't have to pay taxes. But remind your teen that paying taxes is an important responsibility and a legal requirement.

And be aware of your child's physical health and safety. Keep an eye on your teen. Is he or she nodding off a lot? Are your child's grades slipping? Does he or she seem stressed out?

Just because the law says your 14-year-old can work 3 hours a day on school days doesn't mean your child should work those hours every day. You, your child, and perhaps your child's doctor should have a serious discussion about maintaining a healthy balance between school and work and other issues.

By investing some time in research beforehand, your teen can have a fun, worthwhile, and safe job experience.

Updated and reviewed by: Barbara P. Homeier, MD
Date reviewed: April 2005
Originally reviewed by: Kathleen M. Cronan, MD, and Steven Dowshen, MD