Jobs for 16 year olds: what changes at 16 and who hires

What changes at 16

Sixteen is the basic minimum age for employment under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act. The rules that held you back at 14 and 15 fall away:

	At 14 and 15	At 16 and 17
Hours on a school day	3 at most	No federal limit
Hours in a school week	18 at most	No federal limit
Latest finish	7 p.m. (9 p.m. from June 1 to Labor Day)	No federal limit
Kinds of work	A short list: retail, food service, office	Any job not declared hazardous
Cooking	Only grills with no open flame and self-lifting fryers	Allowed, except hazardous equipment

That is why so many employers set their minimum at 16: they can schedule you for a closing shift on a Friday night.

Your state can still limit your hours

When federal and state law both apply, the stricter rule wins, and many states limit how late 16 and 17 year olds can work on school nights, or how many hours in a school week. Check your state on the Department of Labor's state table, then on your state labor department's own site. Some states require a work permit until 18; others do not issue one at all.

What is still off limits until 18

The Department of Labor's hazardous occupations orders apply to everyone under 18. The ones that matter in teen jobs:

• Driving for work, or riding as a helper on a delivery vehicle. (At 17 there is a narrow exception for limited daytime driving of cars and small trucks.)
• Power-driven meat slicers and meat processing, so no slicer at the deli counter.
• Power-driven bakery machines.
• Balers and compactors, the cardboard machines in the back of most stores.
• Power saws, woodworking machines, roofing and excavation.

Employers that say they hire at 16

We list an employer only when its own careers site states the age. Checked on October 2, 2026. A job posting speaks only for that posting, so check the one near you:

Employer	What its own site says
Chipotle	Two Crew Member postings we read on October 2, 2026 (Chicago and Seattle) say "Be at least 16 years old". The Chicago one welcomes people with "no experience at all".
Cinemark (movie theaters)	A Theatre Team Member posting we read on October 2, 2026 (North Aurora, Illinois) says "Must be at least 16 years of age", and asks for food handling training plus any food handler permit your area requires.
Six Flags parks	"All of our properties hire individuals who are 16+!" At Great Adventure, many seasonal roles start at 16, including ride operations, food and beverage, retail and admissions.
Wegmans (grocery)	Hires from 15, and says some roles and shifts start at 16.

Big names that do not publish 16

Teens often ask about the biggest chains. On October 2, 2026, none of these said "16" on its own site:

• Target: one store role (Inbound Expert) says 18 or older; the cashier role lists no age.
• Chick-fil-A: each restaurant's Operator decides.

Job boards report different ages for these, which is why you should check the posting or ask the store.

Kinds of jobs that hire at 16

• Restaurants and fast food: crew member, cashier, host, busser.
• Coffee shops and ice cream shops: barista, counter.
• Grocery stores: cashier, bagger, stocker (no baler, no slicer).
• Movie theaters: concessions, tickets, ushering.
• Theme parks, pools and camps: seasonal roles, lifeguard, junior counselor.
• Retail stores: cashier, sales floor, fitting rooms.

Jobs you can make yourself

At 16 you can take on more: regular babysitting for several families, tutoring, dog walking, yard work for neighbours. The honest caveats are the same as for any self-made job: you find your own customers, income comes and goes with the seasons, and you should agree a price before you start.

Your first resume

At 16 a resume starts to matter. Some applications let you upload one, managers hiring for evening shifts want to see you are reliable, and you will use it again next summer. Put school first, then any work you have done (babysitting counts), volunteering, clubs and sports. You can make your first resume here, on your phone.