Minors aged 15 days to 18 years employed in the entertainment industry must have a permit to work, and employers must have a permit to employ. This newsletter sets forth the laws that protect children who work and provides guidance to young people and their parents when weighing an employment offer.With limited exceptions, employers generally may not hire minors under the age of 14. The general rule is that the legal working age in California is 14-years-old, but anybody under the age of 18 must have a work permit. 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. Employers that would like to employ "minors" under the age of 18 are required to obtain work permits. California law uses a broader definition of minor in its wage orders, which define it as any person under the age of 18. All minors under the age of 18 must have a permit to work in the State of California. The U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division (WHD) administers and enforces the federal child labor laws.