Employment laws in Australia vary from state to state, and the legal age for working can depend upon the type of job. Generally speaking, the legal age for working in Australia is 15 years old, but there are certain restrictions that may apply. In this article, we’ll take a look at the legal age for employment in Australia, as well as the requirements for working in the country.
Legal Age for Employment in Australia
The legal age for employment in Australia is 15 years old, though this can vary depending on the type of job. For example, in some states, the legal age to work in a bar is 18 years old, while in others it is 16.
For jobs that involve hazardous work, such as working with dangerous machinery or working in a mine, the legal age is 18 years old. Additionally, minors under the age of 15 cannot be employed in any circumstances.
Requirements for Working in Australia
In Australia, all employees must be paid the minimum wage, regardless of their age or experience. Additionally, all employers must abide by the workplace health and safety laws, which includes providing a safe and healthy working environment.
Employers must also provide employees with a minimum of 10 days of paid annual leave, and provide sick leave and other leave entitlements as outlined in the National Employment Standards.
All employers must also pay taxes and adhere to the Fair Work Act 2009, which sets out the rights and obligations of both employers and employees.
In summary, the legal age for employment in Australia is 15 years old, though there are certain restrictions that may apply depending on the type of job. All employers must abide by the workplace health and safety laws, pay the minimum wage, and adhere to the Fair Work Act 2009.
The legal age to get a job in Australia varies by the type of job, the state or territory you live in, and the special arrangements that may apply in those places. Generally, the minimum age to work most jobs in Australia is 15 years old. Whether a young person can work depends on the type of work they are doing and the laws in each state and territory.
In most states and territories, young people aged 15 to 17 can do light work if it does not affect their education and if the job does not involve prohibited activities. For example, in most states and territories young people aged 15 to 17 can do:
• Light office tasks such as filing, data entry and word processing;
• Customer service, such as in-store service, telephone customer service, sales and delivery;
• Cleaning, such as vacuuming, dusting, window cleaning, garbage removal and pool cleaning;
• Food preparation and service, such as in restaurants and cafes;
• Cash handling;
• Filling shelves in a store or warehouse;
• Gardening, such as mowing, edging, pruning and fertilizing;
• Minor maintenance such as window washing and snow removal.
However, there are some prohibited activities for young people aged 15 to 17, such as working in a bar, lugging heavy objects over long distances, using hazardous machinery and working in a slaughterhouse.
In some states and territories, there are special arrangements for young people aged 15 to 17. For instance, in Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania, they can work in a licensed venue or start their own business, as long as they are 13 or 14 years old, have parental approval and the business is supervised by an adult.
In the Northern Territory, young people aged 15 to 17 can work in hotels and licensed clubs, with parental approval and the support of their school.
Job seekers aged 18 and older can work any type of job in Australia, unless they are travelling or working as a volunteer. Some job seekers aged 18 and over may also have special restrictions based on the job they are doing. For instance, some jobs may require a minimum age of 21 or 25 due to licensing regulations or qualifications.
In conclusion, there is no one set legal age to work in Australia. The minimum age for working most jobs in Australia is 15, but there are special arrangements for young people aged 15 to 17 in some states and territories. Job seekers aged 18 and over can work any type of job, unless they are travelling or volunteering.
