Ini.wa.gov/workers-rights/youth-employment/prohibited-duties

Here are the answers based on the Washington L&I youth-employment rules (the official site is lni.wa.gov).

Part A: True or False

1. True — roofing, wrecking, and demolition are prohibited for minors under 18 in non-agricultural jobs.
2. False — a 15-year-old may not drive a truck on a public roadway for deliveries.
3. True — minors under 18 may not load or unload paper/cardboard balers or compactors under the non-agricultural rules.
4. True — minors under 18 are prohibited from handling/applying highly toxic Category I or II agricultural chemicals.
5. False — a 14-year-old may not operate a tractor over 20 horsepower.
6. False — a minor under 16 may not work alone after 8 p.m. in a restaurant or retail store without adult supervision.

Part B: Fill in the Blanks

1. hazardous
2. 10 feet
3. pesticides / agricultural chemicals
4. power-driven machinery
5. 20 horsepower

Part C: Short Answer

1. Younger minors have less experience, judgment, and physical maturity, so they are at greater risk of serious injury—especially around farm machinery and chemicals. Additional restrictions help protect them.
2. A power-driven meat slicer (a cardboard baler/compactor is another example).
3. No. Minors under 18 cannot work from ladders or scaffolds more than 10 feet above the ground/floor in non-agricultural jobs, and a 15-year-old also cannot work in construction.
4. A young worker alone late at night may have no adult to help in an emergency, injury, robbery, or harassment situation. Adult supervision makes the workplace safer.

Part C — shorter answers

1. Younger teens have less experience, judgment, and physical maturity, so their injury risk is higher.
2. A power-driven meat slicer — or a baler/compactor.
3. No — minors can’t work over 10 feet up, and construction work is prohibited for 15-year-olds.
4. Late-night isolation raises risk; an adult supervisor can get help in an emergency.

The link is lni.wa.gov (not ini.wa.gov). Here are the answers for the Variances worksheet.

Part A: True or False

1. True — a variance is a temporary exception to normal youth work rules.
2. False — variances are not limited to agriculture; they apply to other jobs too.
3. True — parents, school, employer, and L&I can all be involved in approving certain variances.
4. False — a special variance requires parent and school permission; it is not automatic.
5. True — the student-learner variance lets 16–17-year-olds do some hazardous tasks in a certified training program.
6. False — employers must keep records of authorizations and variances.

Part B: Fill in the Blanks

1. temporary
2. 8 hours per day and 40 hours per week
3. Minor Work
4. work-based
5. Student-Learner

Part C: Short Answers

1. To allow flexibility for different situations — such as school programs, family needs, or special jobs — while still protecting young workers. One fixed rule would be too rigid.
2. A 17-year-old might ask if they need to work extra hours, earlier/later, or during school hours (e.g., for a special event or family business). Condition: L&I must approve it, and the work must not be hazardous.
3. The employer must provide a written training agreement, ensure close supervision by a journey-level worker or qualified instructor, keep records, and make sure the hazardous work is incidental and intermittent.
4. Because federal law sets a minimum safety standard. States cannot weaken those protections, so respecting federal restrictions ensures all minors have at least the same basic safety no matter where they work.

Part C — shorter

1. Allows flexibility for school, family, or special jobs while keeping young workers safe.
2. Whether extra or changed hours are allowed — only with L&I approval and no hazardous work.
3. Written training agreement, close supervision, records, and only occasional hazardous tasks.
4. Federal law sets a minimum safety standard that states cannot weaken.

Here are the answers for the Hours of Work worksheet.

Part A: True or False

1. True
2. False — 14- and 15-year-olds can only work up to 3 hours on a school day (up to 8 hours on non-school days within a school week).
3. False — 16- and 17-year-olds must be supervised after 8 p.m. and cannot work until midnight on school nights.
4. True
5. True

Part B: Fill in the Blanks

1. 18
2. 20; 4 (4 hours on school days; 8 hours on non-school days)
3. 40; 7 (or 9 p.m. during summer)
4. 8; 40; 5; 7 (or 9 p.m. during summer)
5. A week in which there is at least one day of school (or any week school is in session for any part of the week).

Part A: True or False

1. True
2. True
3. False — minors cannot waive required rest breaks.
4. True
5. True
6. False — a 16–17-year-old cannot work more than 3 hours straight without a rest break.

Part B: Fill in the Blanks

1. 85
2. full (or “adult”) state minimum wage
3. 10 minutes for every 2 hours
4. 4 hours
5. 30 minutes
6. 3 hours

Part C: Short Answers

1. To keep young workers safe, healthy, and alert, and to give them time to eat and rest during longer shifts.
2. A 14-year-old gets a paid 10-minute rest break for every 2 hours worked (so two breaks in a 4-hour shift). No meal period is required because the shift is not more than 4 hours.
3. A 30-minute meal break is required. It must be taken between the 2nd and 5th hour of the shift.
4. Because minors might not understand the risks or might feel pressured to skip breaks; the law protects their health and safety.

(Note: the correct site is lni.wa.gov, not ni.wa.gov.)

Part C — shorter

1. For safety, health, alertness, and time to eat/rest.
2. Two paid 10-minute rest breaks; no meal break for a 4-hour shift.
3. A 30-minute meal break, between the 2nd and 5th hour.
4. Minors may not understand the risks or may feel pressured to skip breaks; the law protects them.