Employers are prohibited from hiring teens under 16 years of age who fail to present an approved work permit. Work permits or employment certificates must be obtained from your local school for all minors 14 and 15 years of age before beginning work.Minors aged 14 or 15 may work, but not without first obtaining an Employment Certificate from their local high school or school administration office. 16 - Basic minimum age for employment. Under Illinois child labor laws, children that are 16-years-old and 17-years-old are not restricted regarding how many hours they may work in a work day. Children under 16 may not work for more than 8 hours per day, or for more than 6 consecutive days in a week, or in excess of 48 hours in a week. 16 - Basic minimum age for employment. An official "employment certificate" is required to legally employ anyone under 16. 16 and 17: May work the same hours as those who are 18 years old. If an employee's tips combined with the wages from the employer do not equal the minimum wage, the employer must make up the difference.