CSNA reminds retailers of youth employment rules
CSNA reminds retailers of pay, hours, breaks and record-keeping rules for employing workers under 18 years of age
Print9 July 2026
The Protection of Young Persons (Employment) Act 1996 sets out controls governing the employment of children and young persons, the Convenience Stores & Newsagents Association (CSNA) reports.
The Act defines a child as “a person who is under 16 years of age or the school-leaving age, whichever is the higher”; and defines a young person as “a person who has reached 16 years of age or the school-leaving age (whichever is higher) but is less than 18 years of age”.
Pay rates
The rate for an employee who is under eighteen years of age is 70% of the Adult National Minimum Wage. The current rate of pay for a person under 18, therefore, is €9.91 per hour.
Employers of persons under 18 years of age must display a Poster which outlines the rights of the young person, in an area where it can be easily accessed and read by all staff.
Working hours and breaks
The following limits apply to the hours that can be worked by young persons under 18 years of age –
Young persons aged 16 and 17 years are not permitted to start work before 6.00 a.m.
They must finish work at 10.00 p.m. on days preceding a school day.
They may work up to 11.00 p.m. on days where they have no school the next day: in such instances they must not start work before 7.00 a.m. the next day.
However, it should be noted that work past 10.00 p.m. is subject to Ministerial approval by regulation.
How many hours can a child or young person work each day/week?
Young persons aged 16 and 17 years must be given a 30 minute break after working 4½ hours.
They are entitled to 12 hours off in every 24 hours and 2 days off in every 7 days.
Maximum weekly working hours
16 & 17 years old
Early morning after 6.00 a.m.
Night work – with school the next morning – Up to 10.00 p.m.
Night work – with no school the next morning (e.g. holidays, weekends) – Up to 11.00 p.m.** (and not before 7.00 a.m. the next morning)
**Note – work beyond 10.00 p.m. requires Ministerial approval by regulation. Specific regulations have been made for Licensed Premises.
Rest breaks
16 & 17 Year Olds
- 30 minutes break after working – 4½ hours
- Every 24 hours – 12 hours off
- Every 7 days – 2 days off
Mandatory records
In addition to the normal Statutory Records that employers are required to keep, the following records must be kept for any children and young persons employed by them –
- full name
- date of birth
- time work begins each day
- time work finishes each day
- rate of wages or salary paid per day, week, month or year, as appropriate
- total amount of wages or salary paid to each person
Under the Terms of Employment (Information) Act, 1994, an employer must provide all workers under the age of 18 years with a copy of the official summary of the Protection of Young Persons (Employment) Act, together with the other details of their terms of employment within one month of taking up a job.
Read more: CSNA empowers retailers at annual event
© 2026, ShelfLife by CSNA
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