Youth Employment

Youth Employment in Fields and Orchards

Michigan employers generally do not allow children in fields or orchards unless they are eligible to work. 

• Youth under 12 years old generally may not work.
• Youth ages 12 or 13 may perform non-hazardous farm work alongside their parents or with written parental consent.
• Youth under 16 are prohibited from doing “hazardous work,” such as operating machinery or handling toxic or explosive materials.
• Youth under 17 who have not completed high school must attend school during public school sessions. Public school is free for all children in Michigan, regardless of immigration status.
• Additional restrictions apply to work in industries other than farm work.

Contact the Michigan Department of Migrant Education (517-241-6974) for resources available to children of farmworkers.

Work Permits

Children do not need a work permit for farm work. Farm work includes growing or producing an agricultural product, raising livestock, preparing the farm’s product for market, and delivering the farm’s product to storage or market.

Children under 18 may need a work permit to perform other types of work, including “agricultural processing.” Agricultural processing includes cleaning, sorting, or packaging fruits and vegetables for a food processor other than the farmer that produced the harvested fruits and vegetables.

Minimum Wages for Youth

Employers must pay at least the rates disclosed at the time of recruitment. 

• Farmworkers, including children, working alongside or under an H-2A contract must be paid at least $18.15 per hour. Please visit Wages in Michigan for more information on wages.  
  • Additionally, US workers, including youth, who are working alongside or performing H-2A work are entitled to the benefits under an H-2A contract. Please visit H-2A Jobs
     for more information.  
  • The employer must provide you with a copy of the work contract that includes all terms and conditions of the job.
• Reduced training rates may be paid to youth as long as they are not employed by H-2A employers, and the reduced rates were disclosed at the time of recruitment:
  • A farmworker aged 16 - 19 years old may be paid a minimum training wage of $4.25 per hour for the first 90 consecutive calendar days of employment.
  • After 90 days (about 3 months),  
    • Farmworkers aged 16 - 17 may be paid a reduced post-training minimum wage that is 85% of the normal Michigan minimum hourly wage, meaning:  
      • from Jan. 1 through Feb. 20, 2025, the post-training minimum wage is $8.98 per hour.  
      • after Feb. 21, 2025, the post-training minimum wage is $10.61 per hour.
  • Farmworkers ages 18 and over must be paid the normal Michigan minimum wage of:  
    • from Jan. 1 through Feb. 20, 2025, $10.56 per hour and  
    • after Feb. 21, 2025, $12.48 per hour.

Record of work

Employers must provide every person, including each child, employed in agriculture with their own paycheck and wage statement. The employer must also keep records of the minor’s name, temporary and permanent addresses, date of birth, work hours, hours worked, and the parent’s written consent.

If an agency is investigating a labor dispute at your work or involving your employer, you may be eligible for relief. Please visit [immigration relief and victim relief webpage] for more information.  

Discrimination in Employment Is Illegal

Familial and Pregnancy Discrimination:

Employers cannot terminate your work, refuse to hire, lower your pay, or deny housing or employment solely because you have a family, require family housing, or are pregnant. Your employer is required to provide reasonable accommodations for disabilities, including disabilities related to pregnancy or recent childbirth, absent undue hardship.

Age Discrimination:

In Michigan, employers cannot fire, refuse to hire, or treat workers differently based on age. Discrimination against legally employable children or older adults based on their age is unlawful.