Lesson 28 — Activity 3: Rules, Responsibilities, and Rights
Completion requirements
Lesson 28 — Activity 3:
Rules, Responsibilities, and Rights
Lesson 28 — Activity 3:
Rules, Responsibilities, and Rights
In this activity, you will look at more data and explore some of the rules, responsibilities, and rights that affect young workers.
Read the following information, and then answer the questions at the end of this activity.
In this activity, you will look at more data and explore some of the rules, responsibilities, and rights that affect young workers.
Read the following information, and then answer the questions at the end of this activity.
Read the following information, and then answer the questions at the end of this activity.
There are numerous hazards that workers are faced with on the job site. Here are some tips for young workers to help them deal with these dangers.
Seven Things You Better Know
1. Young workers between 15 to 24 years of age have a high risk of on-the-job injuries.
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Every year in Alberta, approximately 7,600 workers aged 15 to 24 report on-the-job injuries.
2. Young workers need to be shown the specific hazards of their job.
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Young people need to be taught how to ask their supervisors about the hazards of their jobs.
3. All workers have rights.
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The Right to Know about hazards in the job and how to protect themselves.
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The Right to Refuse Unsafe Work — No one can force a worker to do a job that he or she believes is unsafe.
4. By law, everyone is responsible for workplace health and safety.
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Employers must do everything reasonably possible to protect workers from injury or illness.
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Workers must follow company safety rules and always work safely.
5. The employer must ensure that workers have the training and equipment they need to protect themselves.
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Young people need to be taught to insist appropriately on safety training if it is not offered to them.
6. Workplace injuries or illness must be reported, no matter how small.
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Young people should be encouraged to report any and all injuries or illnesses to their bosses.
7. Young workers really do get hurt. Don't think it can't happen.
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Young people should know their rights and responsibilities to prevent injury and illness. Every year in Alberta approximately 7,600 workers aged 15 to 24 report on-the-job injuries.
*Source: Workers' Compensation Board — Alberta
Minimum Age Requirements for Working in Alberta
Employers need to know the minimum age requirements for working in Alberta. They must be sure to ask potential employees for identification to verify their age.
Adolescents between 12 and 14 years
Adolescents may be employed to make deliveries for a retail store, deliver newspapers or flyers, or work as a clerk in an office or retail store. The employer needs written consent from a parent or guardian before an adolescent can begin working.
For any other type of work, permission from the Director of Employment Standards must be obtained in addition to written parental consent before employing an adolescent. For more information on employment standards, visit the
Human Resources and Employment website.
Adolescents can work a maximum of two hours on a school day, a maximum of eight hours on a non-school day, but they cannot work between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. Adolescents must be paid at least minimum wage.
Young persons between 15 and 18 years
Young persons cannot be employed between midnight and 6 a.m. in any retail store selling food or beverages, a retail business selling gasoline or other petroleum products, or in a hotel or motel.
Young persons may be employed in other workplaces between midnight and 6 a.m. if they work continuously with someone at least 18 years of age and a parent or guardian has provided the employer with written consent.
Look at the graph below. It shows the average hours worked per week, by age, in 2012.
What was the average hours worked per week for
young workers between the ages of 15 to 24?
The average hours worked per week for young workers between the ages of 15 to 24 was 28.3 hours per week.
Seven Things You Better Know
1. Young workers between 15 to 24 years of age have a high risk of on-the-job injuries.
-
Every year in Alberta, approximately 7,600 workers aged 15 to 24 report on-the-job injuries.
-
Young people need to be taught how to ask their supervisors about the hazards of their jobs.
- The Right to Know about hazards in the job and how to protect themselves.
- The Right to Refuse Unsafe Work — No one can force a worker to do a job that he or she believes is unsafe.
- Employers must do everything reasonably possible to protect workers from injury or illness.
-
Workers must follow company safety rules and always work safely.
- Young people need to be taught to insist appropriately on safety training if it is not offered to them.
- Young people should be encouraged to report any and all injuries or illnesses to their bosses.
- Young people should know their rights and responsibilities to prevent injury and illness. Every year in Alberta approximately 7,600 workers aged 15 to 24 report on-the-job injuries.
*Source: Workers' Compensation Board — Alberta
Minimum Age Requirements for Working in Alberta
Employers need to know the minimum age requirements for working in Alberta. They must be sure to ask potential employees for identification to verify their age.
Adolescents between 12 and 14 years
Adolescents may be employed to make deliveries for a retail store, deliver newspapers or flyers, or work as a clerk in an office or retail store. The employer needs written consent from a parent or guardian before an adolescent can begin working.
For any other type of work, permission from the Director of Employment Standards must be obtained in addition to written parental consent before employing an adolescent. For more information on employment standards, visit the Human Resources and Employment website.
Adolescents can work a maximum of two hours on a school day, a maximum of eight hours on a non-school day, but they cannot work between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. Adolescents must be paid at least minimum wage.
Young persons between 15 and 18 years
Young persons cannot be employed between midnight and 6 a.m. in any retail store selling food or beverages, a retail business selling gasoline or other petroleum products, or in a hotel or motel.
Young persons may be employed in other workplaces between midnight and 6 a.m. if they work continuously with someone at least 18 years of age and a parent or guardian has provided the employer with written consent.
Look at the graph below. It shows the average hours worked per week, by age, in 2012.
What was the average hours worked per week for
young workers between the ages of 15 to 24?
young workers between the ages of 15 to 24?
The average hours worked per week for young workers between the ages of 15 to 24 was 28.3 hours per week.
Self-check!
Try This!
Questions
Use the information in this lesson to answer the following questions. When you are finished, click on the tab below to check your answers.
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Of the seven tips, which one is repeated? Why do you think it is emphasized?
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Who
might show the new worker the job site hazards? Are the hazards the
same for every job site? If a worker had a disability, would the hazards
be different?
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What are the responsibilities of employers? What are the rights and responsibilities of all workers?
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Josh, a 13 year old, was asked by his boss to work from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. on a school night. Is this permitted under law?
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Under what conditions can a 15- to 18-year-old person be employed between the hours of midnight and 6 a.m.?
1. The fact that young workers are at high risk of being hurt is repeated. Every year, around 7,600 young workers are injured in Alberta. This is stressed because it very important that parents and young workers know how vital job safety is.
2. A more experienced worker or the supervisor should show and explain the work site hazards. The dangers will be different for every workplace. For example, one job may involve inflammable liquids, while another may have poisonous vapors. People with disabilities face the hazards everyone else faces plus some others. For example, people with a hearing loss may not be able to hear an audible alarm.
3. Employers must do everything they can to keep workers safe. They must also make sure that employees have safety training and safety equipment. All workers have the right to know about hazards and how to keep safe. No worker can be forced to do unsafe work. Employees have the responsibility to follow all safety rules and report all hazards to their supervisor. All injuries and illnesses must be reported to the employer.
4. No, this would be a violation of the law for two reasons. On school nights, workers under 14 can only work for two hours; 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. is four hours. Also, adolescents cannot be asked to work after 9 p.m.
5. Fifteen- to eighteen-year-olds cannot work in retail locations that sell food, beverages, or petroleum products. They also cannot work in hotels or motels. There must always be someone eighteen years or older working with the young person.
-
Of the seven tips, which one is repeated? Why do you think it is emphasized?
-
Who
might show the new worker the job site hazards? Are the hazards the
same for every job site? If a worker had a disability, would the hazards
be different?
-
What are the responsibilities of employers? What are the rights and responsibilities of all workers?
-
Josh, a 13 year old, was asked by his boss to work from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. on a school night. Is this permitted under law?
-
Under what conditions can a 15- to 18-year-old person be employed between the hours of midnight and 6 a.m.?
1. The fact that young workers are at high risk of being hurt is repeated. Every year, around 7,600 young workers are injured in Alberta. This is stressed because it very important that parents and young workers know how vital job safety is.
2. A more experienced worker or the supervisor should show and explain the work site hazards. The dangers will be different for every workplace. For example, one job may involve inflammable liquids, while another may have poisonous vapors. People with disabilities face the hazards everyone else faces plus some others. For example, people with a hearing loss may not be able to hear an audible alarm.
3. Employers must do everything they can to keep workers safe. They must also make sure that employees have safety training and safety equipment. All workers have the right to know about hazards and how to keep safe. No worker can be forced to do unsafe work. Employees have the responsibility to follow all safety rules and report all hazards to their supervisor. All injuries and illnesses must be reported to the employer.
4. No, this would be a violation of the law for two reasons. On school nights, workers under 14 can only work for two hours; 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. is four hours. Also, adolescents cannot be asked to work after 9 p.m.
5. Fifteen- to eighteen-year-olds cannot work in retail locations that sell food, beverages, or petroleum products. They also cannot work in hotels or motels. There must always be someone eighteen years or older working with the young person.
2. A more experienced worker or the supervisor should show and explain the work site hazards. The dangers will be different for every workplace. For example, one job may involve inflammable liquids, while another may have poisonous vapors. People with disabilities face the hazards everyone else faces plus some others. For example, people with a hearing loss may not be able to hear an audible alarm.
3. Employers must do everything they can to keep workers safe. They must also make sure that employees have safety training and safety equipment. All workers have the right to know about hazards and how to keep safe. No worker can be forced to do unsafe work. Employees have the responsibility to follow all safety rules and report all hazards to their supervisor. All injuries and illnesses must be reported to the employer.
4. No, this would be a violation of the law for two reasons. On school nights, workers under 14 can only work for two hours; 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. is four hours. Also, adolescents cannot be asked to work after 9 p.m.
5. Fifteen- to eighteen-year-olds cannot work in retail locations that sell food, beverages, or petroleum products. They also cannot work in hotels or motels. There must always be someone eighteen years or older working with the young person.