2023 Tennessee Code › Title 50 - EMPLOYER AND EMPLOYEE (§§ 50-1-101 — 50-11-106) › Chapter 5 - CHILD LABOR (§§ 50-5-101 — 50-5-222) › Part 1 - CHILD LABOR ACT OF 1976 (§§ 50-5-101 — 50-5-115) › Section 50-5-105 - Employment of minors sixteen or seventeen years of age

(a)
A minor who is sixteen (16) or seventeen (17) years of age may be employed in connection with any gainful occupation that:
(1)
Does not interfere with the minor's health or well-being;
(2)
Is not prohibited by subsection (b); or
(3)
Is not prohibited by §
50-5-106
.
(b)
A minor who is sixteen (16) or seventeen (17) years of age and is enrolled in school may not be employed:
(1)
During those hours when the minor is required to attend classes; or
(2)
(A)
Between the hours of ten o'clock p.m. (10:00 p.m.) and six o'clock a.m. (6:00 a.m.), Sunday through Thursday evenings preceding a school day.
(B)
If the parents or guardians of the minor submit to the employer a signed and notarized statement of consent, then the minor may be employed between the hours of ten o'clock p.m. (10:00 p.m.) and twelve o'clock midnight (12:00 a.m.), Sunday through Thursday evenings preceding a school day; provided, that under no circumstances shall the minor be employed between those hours on those evenings on more than three (3) occasions during any week.
(C)
Each statement of consent shall be submitted to the employer on a carbonized form provided for the purpose by the department. Upon accepting the form, the employer shall promptly mail the carbon copy of the form to the commissioner.
(D)
The form shall remain valid until the end of the school year during which it is submitted or until termination of the minor's employment, or until the minor reaches the age of majority, whichever occurs first; and the original copy of the form shall be maintained for the period of its effectiveness by the employer at the location of the minor's employment.
(E)
At any time, consent may be rescinded by submission to the employer of a statement of rescission, signed by the parents or guardians of the minor.
(c)
With respect to a student enrolled with a church-related school as defined in §
49-50-801
, or who is home schooled in accordance with §
49-6-3050
and has the consent of the parent conducting the home school, subdivision (b)(1) shall not apply. However, to work during the hours identified in subdivision (b)(1), the student shall also present to the employer a letter signed by the director, as defined in §
50-5-102
, confirming the student's enrollment and the authorization to work. The director of the church-related school shall send a copy of the letter to the director of the LEA of the school district in which the child resides.
(d)
If the department discovers that an employer has violated this section or has violated §
50-5-111
, by failing to maintain the required file record, including an accurate time record showing the hours of a minor's beginning and ending of work each day, then the department shall promptly take appropriate actions to ensure imposition of the sanctions prescribed by §
50-5-112
.
Acts 1976, ch. 480, § 5; 1978, ch. 541, § 3; T.C.A., § 50-705; Acts 1990, ch. 787, § 1; 1998, ch. 781, § 1; 1999, ch. 520, § 41.