Although summer vacation for most students is weeks away, the Better Business Bureau of Minnesota and North Dakota (BBB) suggests teens and parents begin discussing summer employment now.

Some experts predict that jobs will be harder to find this year and teens may actually be competing with adults for part-time summer positions. Here are some tips for parents of teens from the Better Business Bureau of Minnesota and North Dakota:

• Have your teen begin their search early. This may be the deciding factor on whether they get quality employment.

• Match the work to the worker. If your teen loves the outdoors, they may want to apply at landscaping or lawn maintenance companies.  Some construction companies and city parks have summer work for teens as well.  If your child is a person who needs social interaction, retail might be the job for them.  Many local malls hire summer help.  If your teen is a quiet person who likes a low-key atmosphere, perhaps they would enjoy an office job.

• Make sure your teen is realistic about the number of hours they are willing to work.  As a parent, you need to work with your teen to come up with a reasonable work schedule. 

• Understand the law.  If your child is under 14, Minnesota and Federal Child Labor Laws will have strict limitations for their employment.  The law holds restrictions for 14- to 17-year-olds, as well.  You may visit www.doli.state.mn.us [1] or www.nd.gov/labor/ [2] to find Minnesota and North Dakota laws and www.dol.gov [3] to find federal laws.  These sites will also have information on minimum wage.

• Check out all offers of employment with the Better Business Bureau.  Call (651) 699-1111, toll free at 1-800-646-6222 or visit the Web site at www.thefirstbbb.org [4] to obtain a report on a company.

• Check to see if your city has a youth job program.  In St. Paul, for example, the Mayor’s Youth Job Corps helps students get both jobs and training.  Information can be found at www.stpaul.gov/mayor [5].

• Visit the prospective employer to see what conditions your teen will be working in.  Don’t be afraid to ask questions of the owner or supervisor.  Will your child be around people who are safe and act appropriately?  Does the owner make sure there are responsible people in charge when he or she is away? 

• If your teen will be working at a business that takes in large sums of cash, what measures have the owners taken to ensure the safety of your child?  Will there always be an adult on the premises?

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• If your child is 18 years old, they should be cautious of employers who ask them to sign a contract.  In the past, the BBB has received complaints about companies who placed ads in the “help wanted” section of the newspaper for “managers” and “supervisors” when really they were hiring sales people.  The employees signed contracts which read, “You are an independent contractor; you are not an employee of this company.”  Because the complainants had either not read or not understood the contract, they committed themselves to a job they did not want.  As an 18 year-old, they are responsible for any contracts they sign.  Encourage your teen to bring a copy of the contract home for you to read before they sign it. 

• Make sure you know where your child will be working.  Do not let them get involved with traveling work crews who are dropped off at unknown neighborhoods or driven to other cities to sell magazines, candy, etc. 

• Coach your child on how to apply for a job.  How they dress, sit, and talk can make a big difference to a prospective employer.  Likewise, teach them to be confident in asking for the wage and hours they need.

• If your family has a summer vacation planned or if your child will be attending a summer sports camp, make sure your child tells the employer up front.  Most employers are fair and flexible, but it’s best to let them know right away.

• Calculate costs versus wage.  If your teen will have to drive a long distance to reach the job, pay union dues, and purchase a uniform, will the job be profitable?

• This is a great time to teach your child financial responsibility!  Don’t miss this opportunity to talk to your kids about the value of saving for the future, setting goals, and creating a budget for themselves.  Decide as a family whether or not the time is right for your teen to take on more responsibilities as far as paying for their own clothing, entertainment, gas, and car insurance.

• Be involved to help make your teen’s first work experience a happy one!