103.66 Powers and duties of the department relating to employment of minors.

(1) The department may investigate, determine and fix reasonable classifications of employments, places of employment and minimum ages for hazardous employment for minors, and may issue general or special orders prohibiting the employment of minors in employments or places of employment prejudicial to the life, health, safety or welfare of minors, and may carry out the purposes of ss. 103.64 to 103.82. In fixing minimum ages for hazardous employment for minors under this subsection, the department shall do all of the following:

(a) Permit the employment of a minor 14 years of age or over as a laboratory assistant for a nonprofit, community-based organization that provides educational opportunities in medically related fields if the minor is under the direct supervision of a mentor and the laboratory at which the minor is employed complies with 10 CFR 20.1207 and 29 CFR 1910.1030.

(b) Permit the employment of a minor 15 years of age or over as a lifeguard. The department shall require that an adult employee be present on the premises whenever a 15-year-old is employed as a lifeguard and shall require any minor to have successfully completed a bona fide life saving course in order to be employed as a lifeguard.

(2) The department may investigate and fix reasonable classifications of employments and hours of employment for minors under 16 years of age and may issue general or special orders fixing for those minors maximum hours of employment per day and per week, maximum days of employment per week, hours at which employment may begin and end, and the duration of lunch and other rest periods as are necessary to protect the life, health, safety, and welfare of those minors. For minors under 16 years of age, the department may not fix hours of employment that exceed the maximum hours per day and per week specified in s. 103.68 (2) (a) and (b), that exceed the maximum days per week specified in s. 103.68 (2) (c), or that begin earlier or end later than the hours specified in s. 103.68 (2) (d) and (e). For minors 16 years of age or over, the department may fix the duration of lunch and other rest periods, but may not limit hours of employment or issue general or special orders fixing maximum hours of employment per day or per week, maximum days of employment per week, or hours at which employment may begin and end.

(3) The investigations, classifications and orders provided for in subs. (1) and (2) shall be made as provided under s. 103.005. These orders are subject to review as provided in ch. 227.

History: 1971 c. 185 s. 6; 1971 c. 271, 307; 1995 a. 27; 2011 a. 32; 2017 a. 153.

An occupation must be listed as a prohibited employment in rules adopted by DWD under s. 103.66 for there to be absolute liability. Perry v. Menomonee Mutual Insurance Co. 2000 WI App 215, 239 Wis. 2d 26, 619 N.W.2d 2d 123, 00-0184.