Tennessee Updates Wage Regulations and Child Labor Poster with New Minor Employment Rules

What Changed

Tennessee's Department of Labor and Workforce Development issued a revised Wage Regulations and Child Labor poster in May 2024. The updated poster reflects several substantive changes to the state's child labor and wage regulations:

• New working hour restrictions for minors ages 14 and 15, including limits of 3 hours per day and 18 hours per week when school is in session, and up to 8 hours per day and 40 hours per week during school breaks

• Defined terms for "school hours" and "school days" to clarify when work restrictions apply

• Clarified that the 30-minute break or meal period for minors is unpaid when a minor is scheduled to work six or more consecutive hours

• Added an employee class exception from rest breaks and meal periods

• Expanded prohibited occupations for minors, including work in lath mills, shingle mills, and cooperage-stock mills

• Revised alcohol-related employment rules allowing minors ages 16-17 to work in establishments where alcohol sales exceed 25% of gross receipts, provided the minor does not take orders for or serve alcohol

This is a mandatory poster update — not a routine reprint.

Who Is Affected

All Tennessee employers who employ minors (workers under 18 years of age) are directly affected by the substantive child labor changes. However, the Wage Regulations and Child Labor poster is mandatory for all Tennessee employers, regardless of whether they currently employ minors.

Industries with higher concentrations of minor employees — including retail, food service, hospitality, and seasonal employers — should pay particular attention to the updated restrictions.

Where It Applies

Tennessee statewide. These are state-level regulations applicable to all employers operating within Tennessee.

When It Takes Effect

The revised poster was published in May 2024, and employers should display the updated version as soon as possible. Tennessee employers are required to display the current version of the poster in a prominent location accessible to all employees, such as a breakroom or near a time clock.

Why It Matters

Child labor law compliance continues to receive heightened scrutiny nationwide. The U.S. Department of Labor has increased enforcement actions against employers who violate child labor provisions, and several states have tightened their rules in response to reported violations in agriculture, manufacturing, and food service. Tennessee's updates bring its poster in line with current statutory requirements and provide clearer guidance for employers who hire minors.

Employers who fail to display the mandatory poster may be subject to fines or sanctions from the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development.

The Humareso Take

Child labor compliance is one of those areas where a lot of employers think "this doesn't apply to me" — until they hire a 16-year-old for a summer job and realize the rules are more detailed than they expected. Tennessee's updated poster addresses real gaps in clarity, particularly around when minors can and cannot work during the school year. If you have any Tennessee locations, get the updated poster hung and take a few minutes to brief your managers on the revised rules. It is the kind of low-effort, high-value compliance step that prevents headaches down the road.

Recommended Action Steps

1. Obtain and display the updated Tennessee Wage Regulations and Child Labor poster in a conspicuous location at every Tennessee worksite, such as a breakroom, near the time clock, or at a main employee entrance.

2. Review your minor employment practices to ensure compliance with the new working hour restrictions for 14- and 15-year-old employees, particularly limits during the school year.

3. Confirm break and meal period policies for minor employees are consistent with the clarification that the 30-minute break is unpaid.

4. Train managers and supervisors at locations that employ minors on the updated scheduling restrictions, prohibited occupations, and alcohol-service rules for 16- and 17-year-olds.

5. Audit job assignments for minor employees to ensure none are working in newly prohibited occupations, including lath mills, shingle mills, or cooperage-stock mills.

6. Contact your Humareso representative for a review of your Tennessee minor employment policies and poster compliance.