The Youth Employment Protection Act (JArbSchG) and the Child Labor Protection Ordinance apply to children and adolescents under the age of 18. These regulations govern the nature, duration, and scope of work performed by children and adolescents.

The employment of children under the age of 13 is prohibited. The employment ban generally applies to 13- and 14-year-olds as well. However, “generally” also means that there are exceptions for certain sectors and activities.

Children aged 13 and older:

• Children aged 13 and older may, with their parents’ consent, perform light tasks such as delivering newspapers, babysitting, tutoring, coaching at a sports club, and a few others. It is important to note the conditions under which the work takes place: a maximum of two hours per day, not before or during school hours, not between 6 p.m. and 8 a.m., and only a maximum of five days per week—and generally not on weekends or holidays.
• In addition, there is the possibility of obtaining an official exemption for activities such as theater performances, musical performances, radio recordings, and film and photo shoots. (See below for more information.)

Young people aged 15 and older:

• Similar regulations apply to young people between the ages of 15 and 17, although they may work more during school breaks: During breaks, young people may work up to four weeks per calendar year, with a maximum of 40 hours per week and eight hours per day, and generally only between 6 a.m. and 8 p.m. Break times (30 minutes after 4.5 hours of work and 60 minutes after 6 hours of work) must be observed, as must a rest period of at least 12 hours of uninterrupted free time between two work shifts

Special cases:

• School internships: Working hour limits must be observed for children (7 hours/day and 35 hours/week) and adolescents (8 hours/day and 40 hours/week).
• Minor assistance with household chores or renovations is not covered by youth labor protection laws.

Official exemption pursuant to §6 JArbSchG

To obtain a permit under §6 JArbSchG, you must first obtain written consent from both parents, the child’s pediatrician, and the child’s school. Subsequently, a statement must be provided by the responsible youth welfare office (see contact information below). The form to be completed and signed can also be found at the bottom of this page.

The fully completed application for approval under § 6 JArbSchG must be submitted to the competent authority for approval. For children and adolescents residing in Wiesbaden, this is the Darmstadt Regional Council.

Note 

We recommend contacting us via email at the address below.

Please send us the fully completed application, signed by the legal guardians, on which both the pediatrician and the school have signed without reservation.

Important: The form must be fully completed and signed. Please note that processing may take up to three days.

Alternatively, you may visit the Youth Information Center (JIZ) during opening hours:
Schwalbacher Straße 6, 65185 Wiesbaden

. The JIZ is open Monday through Friday from 1:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.