Minors under 18 banned from dangerous jobs

Labor decree raises minimum age for heavy work

The Ministry of Labor issued a decree prohibiting the employment of minors, under the age of 18, in jobs that endanger their physical safety or moral attitude.

The decree conforms to international labor agreements. It said minors under 18 “are not allowed to work in certain jobs which, by their nature, cause physical or psychological damage and limits their ability to get an education.” These jobs include working in quarries, funeral homes, casinos, and heavy industries.

The decree replaces an older decision. The old decree, issued in 1999, had set the minimum age for undertaking these jobs at 16.

The new decree also prohibits the employment of those under the age 16 in jobs that may incur physical or moral damage to the worker, either due to their nature or the working circumstances.

These include jobs that involve exposure to hazardous chemicals, and that require working in tough weather conditions. Minors above 16 are allowed to occupy such jobs as long as they are provided with enough protection, and after they have received vocational training in that specific field of work.