Almost all minors under the age of 18 are subject to California's child labor protections. For most employers, a minor must be at least 14 years of age to work.In California, most minors under the age of 18 must have a permit to work. I'm 16 and currently looking for employment. California's minimum legal age to work is generally 14 years old. Children ages 12 and 13 can only work on days when there is no school. The law allows them to work up to eight hours a day and no more than 40 hours a week. Retail, retail, retail. Every store that serves a customer (excluding alcohol, tobacco, marijuana, sex stuff) has something open for a teen. However, this law is only applicable to teenagers under 18 years and who have not yet graduated from high school.