Q: With the current employment shortage we find ourselves hiring more high school or younger employees. What are the limitations there?

A: A lot of these issues depend on defining how young is young. Work permits are required for minors who are 14 or 15 years old for most jobs in Iowa. The information regarding this process can be found on the Iowa Division of Labor website. The rules may also require a certificate of age. It is important that you know how old the under 18 employees are, as those 15 and under are subject to different rules. Various methods of determining the age of an employee include driver’s license, school ID, birth certificate, and similar items.

Remember, do not request a birth certificate for purposes of your I-9 but for determination of whether a work permit is required or other work restrictions exist. For a fuller discussion of these issues see the April 2021 article on Youth Workers in Iowa.