48-304. Employment certificate; issuance; conditions.

The person authorized to issue an employment certificate under section 48-303 shall not issue such certificate until he or she has received, examined, approved, and filed the following papers duly executed: (1) The school record of the child, properly filled out and signed as provided in section 48-306, showing the child has completed the work of the sixth grade of the public schools, or its equivalent, or is regularly attending night school in compliance with section 48-308; and (2) a passport or duly attested transcript of the certificate of birth or baptism or other religious or official record showing the date and place of birth of such child. A duly attested transcript of the birth certificate filed according to law with a registrar of vital statistics, or other officer charged with the duty of recording births, shall be conclusive evidence of the age of such child. The affidavit of the parent, guardian, or custodian of a child shall be required only in case none of such documents can be produced and filed, showing the place and date of birth of such child, which affidavit must be taken before the officer issuing the employment certificate. Such employment certificate shall not be issued until such child has personally appeared before and been examined by the officer issuing the certificate and until such officer, after making such examination, signs and files in his or her office a statement that the child can read and legibly write simple sentences in the English language and that, in his or her opinion, the child has reached the normal development of a child of such child's age, and the child is in sound health and is physically able to perform the work which such child intends to do. In doubtful cases such physical fitness shall be determined by a physician provided by the Department of Labor. In addition to the requirements of this section, if the child is under fourteen years of age, the employment certificate shall be issued only for employment in connection with an employment program supervised and sponsored by the school or school district such child attends. Whenever the person authorized to issue the employment certificate is in doubt about the age of a child, he or she may require the party or parties making application for the certificate to appear before the judge of the juvenile court or the county judge where the question of the age of the child shall be determined and the judgment of the court shall be final and binding upon the person issuing the certificate. Notice of the hearing before the court shall be given to some one of the persons authorized to demand inspection of employment certificates. Every employment certificate shall be signed in the presence of the officer issuing the certificate by the child in whose name it is issued.

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