Companies that Hire 14- and 15-Year Olds (+ Printables!)

Getting your very first paycheck is a memorable moment usually filled with feelings of accomplishment and enthusiasm. Being able to afford a dinner downtown or a couple of movie tickets (without the help of mom and dad, that is!) can be motivation enough to get the chronically bored youngster up and at em’.

Encouraging your kids to work in their teens will help instill values of diligence and hard work while also teaching financial independence and responsibility.

Learn the rules of teenage employees as well as places that are happily hiring eager-to-work youngsters below.

Laws on Hiring Teens

The legal working age in the U.S. is 16 years old, but depending on the state, teens will need to apply for a work permit before they can accept any official employment offers. Fourteen and 15-year-olds are also eligible to work, with a few exceptions.

There are restrictions in place to protect young employees created by the Fair Labor Standards Act that employers must adhere to if they intend on hiring 14- or 15-year-olds.

These rules include:

No working during school hours
No working before 7 am or after 7 pm
No working more than 3 hours on school days
No working over 18 hours a week when school’s in session
No working 8 hours a day or 40 hours a week when school’s not in session

Some employers may require that teens complete a 90-day probationary period before being officially hired. In the probationary period, pay rates may be lowered.

Once officially employed, full-time teen employees are entitled to make at least minimum wage, which can be as low as $7.25 or as high as $15, depending on the state of employment.

Places That Hire at 14

Simple jobs like scooping ice cream or bagging groceries make great first jobs for 14-year-olds who want to earn a few bucks after school and on the weekends.

Building work experience at such a young age helps teach hard skills like money management and timeliness, as well as soft-skills like etiquette and respect.

A challenging part of young employment can be transportation. Figure out the who, where and when and add it on this printable ride planner to avoid any bumps in the road. Get it?

Once you get your ride situation figured out, check out these places that are hiring 14-years-olds:

Ben and Jerry’s: Scoop some of the most unique and delicious ice cream as young as 14 at one of the 4,000 Ben and Jerry’s shops across America.

Perks of working here: Incredible wages (2x the minimum wage in some stores!), known for their schedule flexibility for college students and ice cream — duh!
How to apply: Find and apply to current openings nationwide on the Ben and Jerry’s Job’s page.

Chick-Fil-A: A majority of Chick-Fil-A locations will allow teens as young as 14 to apply for a position in the kitchen or as a dishwasher.

Perks of working here: Only some managers offer free meals to employees, but all employees receive a 50% employee discount.
How to apply: Apply in-person or on Chick-Fil-A’s Career page on their website.

Dairy Queen: Work as a fry cook, cleaner or cashier at this fast-food restaurant that specializes in soft-serve ice cream, burgers and fried foods.

Perks of working here: Free drinks, meal discounts, flexible work schedules.
How to apply: Find available positions at DairyQueen.com or call the location closest to you.

Safeway: Bag groceries, organize produce, and collect shopping carts for the grocery retailer Safeway as young as 14 years old.

Perks of working here: 5% off items, flexible work hours, benefits and 401k options.
How to apply: Apply to Safeway (or their local sister company, Albertsons, depending on location) in-store or online on the Albertson’s/Safeway career page.
Editor’s tip: Save on your next purchase, regardless of employment status, with this Safeway coupon.

Taco Bell: The well-known Mexican fast-food chain will allow 14-year-olds to work with proof of a valid work permit. Responsibilities include taking orders from customers, cooking food, cleaning the restaurant and more.

Perks of working here: Free drinks and a meal when working a full shift, plus meal discounts when you’re off the clock!
How to apply: Apply for a local Taco Bell position online or in-person.

Places That Hire at 15

Many fast-food restaurants and local establishments will hire 15-year-olds with parent permission and a work permit. Check local job listings on Craigslist and other online employment sites, and also go into small mom and pop shops.

While the corporations listed below will likely use the internet in their hiring process, never underestimate the power of dropping off your resume in-person for a face-to-face introduction.

Boston Market: Boston Market’s “Director of Operations” position makes over $100k per year and is the seventh and last step on their career path. The first step is “Team Member” and those as young as 15 can apply to handle responsibilities like maintaining a clean restaurant and serving customers.

Perks of working here: Meal discounts, employee discount programs and paid vacation time.
How to apply: Find the location closest to you and apply to work at Boston Market directly online.

Burger King: When you are hired at Burger King, you may be tasked with ringing up customers, cooking up cheeseburgers or handling the drive-through.

Perks of working here: Discounted food, performance-based bonuses and the forever smell of onion rings on your clothing.
How to apply: Search for open Burger King positions online then drop your resume off in-person to heighten your chances of being hired.

California Pizza Kitchen: Start working at CPK as young as 15 greeting guests with a smile as a front door host.

Perks of working here: Free meals and employee discounts!
How to apply: Apply to become a host at California Pizza Kitchen online or drop a resume off at your local restaurant.

Pizza Hut: Bake and box pizzas for hungry patrons when you become a part of the Pizza Hut team.

Perks of working here: Free drinks, a meal when working and meal discounts when off the clock!
How to apply: Positions and applications can be found for Pizza Hut online.

Six Flags: If you’re at least 15 years old, you can work as a host, food kiosk employee or a game attendant at a water or amusement park like Six Flags.

Perks of working here: Paid time off and sometimes complimentary tickets to get into the park on days off.
How to apply: Online, select which Six Flags park you are interested in working at and complete your application there.

Places That Hire at 16

Since 16 is the legal age to both work and drive, gas up your teen’s urge to get to work by introducing the idea of starting a car savings fund.

In this printable we’ve created, there is a car divided into 50 pieces, so decide on a savings goal and divide it by 50.

Every car piece represents money that’s been set aside to buy a new ride. Every time you set aside some cash, you get to fill in a piece of the car.

When every piece has been colored in, the savings goal has been hit and it’s time to shop for some wheels.

American Eagle Outfitters: Stay up on the latest fashions while making some extra bucks when you land the job and are tasked with dressing the mannequins at A.E. Outfitters.

Perks of working here: Casual dress code, up to 60% off employee discount!
How to apply: Drop your resume off in-person after finding an available position on American Eagle’s Job page online. If you already love their brand, use this coupon for a new pair of AE jeans or a cute new fleece!

Dunkin’: When working at Dunkin’ you will greet customers, brew coffee, assist bakers, clean workstations, complete transactions on the cash register and restock items — all while smelling warm glazed donuts. Yum!

Perks of working here: Meal breaks consist of free coffee and donuts galore!
How to apply: Apply to Dunkin’ (or their sister store, Baskin-Robbins!) online or in-store!

PetSmart: Even if it’s from a cash register, what could be a better first job than one like PetSmart where there are puppies and kittens around all day?!

Perks of working here: Associate discounts and, again, puppies.
How to apply: Positions for pet lovers can be found on PetSmart’s website, but we also recommend stopping into the store in-person. Did we mention there are puppies?
Editor’s tip: Use this PetSmart coupon on top of your employee discount to save big on kibble when you do finally get your puppy.

Regal Cinemas: Do anything from selling movie tickets to popping fresh popcorn when you work at Regal Cinemas.

Perks of working here: Free soda and popcorn when on duty and reduced tickets and concession items when off the clock.
How to apply: Check out Regal Cinemas Career Opportunities page online, or speak with a hiring manager at a local theater.

Freddy’s Frozen Custard and Steakburgers: Learn how to perfect Freddy’s classic steakburger and their ice cream “concretes” when you work in Freddy’s kitchen or at the front counter.

Perks of working here: Free drinks and a meal when on shift, employee discounts when off the clock.
How to apply: Find a nearby Freddy’s location and drop off your resume.

Businesses Teens Can Start

Outside of official employment, there are still a ton of ways teens can make a few bucks. Use neighbors, family and friends as referrals when looking for new clients to offer your services to. Some things that can be done for some cash:

Babysitter
Car washer
Craft maker
Dog walker
Errand runner (great for helping seniors!)
Gardener/weed puller
Housecleaner
Housesitter
Kennel assistant
Lifeguard
Music teacher
Online survey taker
Pet sitter
School tutor
Swim teacher
Video editor
Yard keeper
Youth sports team coach/referee

A resume started young is one destined for greatness. Be sure to keep your resume updated with new skills learned and accomplishments along the way.

No resume? No problem. Add in contact details and other relevant work or volunteer experience to this printable resume template to share with prospective employers.

Alongside a fresh resume and a professional outfit, hopefully one of the suggestions above will help your teen score their first job so they can begin spending, and more importantly, saving some of their hard-earned cash.

Editor’s tip: If your teen is struggling with what to wear, check out Target’s great selection of well-priced clothing. Already good prices on top of this Target coupon will make the purchase more than worth it.

We hope that you found this blog helpful. Our content is not intended to provide business, legal, tax, or financial advice. For specific advice about your unique circumstances, consider talking with a qualified professional. Capital One Shopping does not endorse or guarantee any information or recommendation listed above.

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