(a) A minor who is sixteen (16) or seventeen (17) years of age may be employed in connection with any gainful occupation that:

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Terms Used In Tennessee Code 50-5-105

  • Age of majority: means eighteen (18) years of age or older. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
  • Commissioner: means the commissioner of labor and workforce development or the commissioner's designated representative. See Tennessee Code 50-5-102
  • Department: means the department of labor and workforce development. See Tennessee Code 50-5-102
  • Employer: includes , but is not limited to, any individual, partnership, association, corporation, business trust, legal representative or any organized group of persons, acting directly or indirectly in the interest of an employer in relation to an employee. See Tennessee Code 50-5-102
  • Minor: means a person of either sex under eighteen (18) years of age, unless otherwise provided. See Tennessee Code 50-5-102
  • Record: means information that is inscribed on a tangible medium or that is stored in an electronic or other medium and is retrievable in a perceivable form. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
  • Rescission: The cancellation of budget authority previously provided by Congress. The Impoundment Control Act of 1974 specifies that the President may propose to Congress that funds be rescinded. If both Houses have not approved a rescission proposal (by passing legislation) within 45 days of continuous session, any funds being withheld must be made available for obligation.
  • signed: includes a mark, the name being written near the mark and witnessed, or any other symbol or methodology executed or adopted by a party with intention to authenticate a writing or record, regardless of being witnessed. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
  • Week: means a fixed and regularly recurring period of seven (7) consecutive days. See Tennessee Code 50-5-102
  • Year: means a calendar year, unless otherwise expressed. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
(1) Does not interfere with the minor’s health or well-being;
(2) Is not prohibited by subsection (b); or
(3) Is not prohibited by § 50-5-106.
(b) A minor who is sixteen (16) or seventeen (17) years of age and is enrolled in school may not be employed:

(1) During those hours when the minor is required to attend classes; or
(2)

(A) Between the hours of ten o’clock p.m. (10:00 p.m.) and six o’clock a.m. (6:00 a.m.), Sunday through Thursday evenings preceding a school day.
(B) If the parents or guardians of the minor submit to the employer a signed and notarized statement of consent, then the minor may be employed between the hours of ten o’clock p.m. (10:00 p.m.) and twelve o’clock midnight (12:00 a.m.), Sunday through Thursday evenings preceding a school day; provided, that under no circumstances shall the minor be employed between those hours on those evenings on more than three (3) occasions during any week.
(C) Each statement of consent shall be submitted to the employer on a carbonized form provided for the purpose by the department. Upon accepting the form, the employer shall promptly mail the carbon copy of the form to the commissioner.
(D) The form shall remain valid until the end of the school year during which it is submitted or until termination of the minor’s employment, or until the minor reaches the age of majority, whichever occurs first; and the original copy of the form shall be maintained for the period of its effectiveness by the employer at the location of the minor’s employment.
(E) At any time, consent may be rescinded by submission to the employer of a statement of rescission, signed by the parents or guardians of the minor.
(c) With respect to a student enrolled with a church-related school as defined in § 49-50-801, or who is home schooled in accordance with § 49-6-3050 and has the consent of the parent conducting the home school, subdivision (b)(1) shall not apply. However, to work during the hours identified in subdivision (b)(1), the student shall also present to the employer a letter signed by the director, as defined in § 50-5-102, confirming the student’s enrollment and the authorization to work. The director of the church-related school shall send a copy of the letter to the director of the LEA of the school district in which the child resides.
(d) If the department discovers that an employer has violated this section or has violated § 50-5-111, by failing to maintain the required file record, including an accurate time record showing the hours of a minor’s beginning and ending of work each day, then the department shall promptly take appropriate actions to ensure imposition of the sanctions prescribed by § 50-5-112.
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