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Young Workers

• Stuff you need to know about
• How much should I get paid
• What are my rights
• What if I have a problem?

Stuff you need to know about

If you're under 25 and you're starting work or about to, here's some info that might come in handy.

Stuff you need to know about

• before you start working
• if you're school aged (generally under 16)
• the law on child employment

How much should I get paid?

• Wages and entitlements
• Superannuation
• Taxation

What are my rights?

• Awards and agreements at work
• Information for schools, educational institutions and community groups
• As an apprentice or trainee

What if I have a problem?

• So you want to leave your job...
• Have you been unfairly dismissed?
• Workplace discrimination

In Queensland, the employment of children is governed by the Child Employment Act 2006 (PDF, 619 KB) and the Child Employment Regulation 2006 (PDF, 329 KB) both of which are effective as of 1 July 2006.

An amendment covering the entertainment industry is effective from 1 January 2007.

The laws:

• protect school-aged children from performing work that may be harmful to their health and safety, or that compromises their mental, moral or social welfare
• limit the hours of work for school-aged children to ensure that their studies aren't adversely affected by employment.

The laws are complemented by the Children and Young Workers Code of Practice 2006 with practical advice for employers of young workers. The code is the result of an extensive review of child labour in Queensland undertaken by the Commission for Children and Young People.

The laws provide separate rights and obligations for employment within:

• the entertainment industry
• industries other than the entertainment industry.

Last updated 11 August 2009