Ministry of Labour Promotes Workplace Health and Safety for Young Workers
Every summer, the Ministry of Labour carries out a worker health and safety blitz during the summer months to ensure all young workers between the ages of 15 to 24 know their rights under workplace health and safety regulations.
By law, all workers including young workers, have the right to:
- Refuse unsafe work
- Know about hazards in the workplace and how to protect their health and safety
- Participate in resolving workplace health and safety concerns
- Young workers are also entitled to minimum standards under the Employment Standards Act which include:
- Limits to the number of hours they can be required to work or allowed to work
- A certain number of hours free from work
- An eating period
- A regular pay period and payday
“All injuries and fatalities are preventable, and no person should be treated unfairly at work. We must strive to ensure that young workers – our own sons and daughters – have their workplace rights protected under the law and that they are able to come home to us safe and sound at the end of each shift,” said Kevin Flynn, Minister of Labour.
Employers, supervisors and parents can learn more by visiting the Ministry of Labour’s young worker portal.