A homeschool student who is 14 or 15 years old can work in Alabama after obtaining an employment certificate from any school office in the state. Children of these ages can work during the school year, but only during very specific hours of the day. They can work for three hours on a school afternoon between 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. On the weekends during the school year, these students can work up to eight hours, as long as the hours fall between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. In addition, at this age students may not work more than 18 hours in one week. Homeschool students in this age group are limited to the prescribed hours on any day that public school is in session, regardless of whether they had school that day, unless they are granted an exception by the superintendent of the local school district.
Sixteen- and 17-year-olds have a bit more freedom when it comes to work hours, especially when they are homeschooled. This age group must also obtain an employment certificate from any school office before beginning work. Students 16 and 17 who attend public or private school are allowed to work until 10 p.m. on school nights and can begin work as early as 5 a.m. on the weekends. Alabama law requires that all homeschoolers register in one of several ways: as students at a traditional school who study at home, as students in a church "cover" school for homeschool families, or as studying with a private tutor. Sixteen- and 17-year-olds working with a private tutor or enrolled under the church school law are exempt from work-hour restrictions. However, if a student in this age group is officially enrolled at private school but working from home or participating in an at-home public school or charter program, the limitation on hours does apply.
Students ages 14 and 15 can work during the summer months between the hours of 7a.m. and 9 p.m. They may work up to eight hours per day and 40 hours per week but may not go over these limits for any reason. They also must take at least one day off out of each work week. From the age of 16, there are no summer work restrictions for homeschool students in Alabama.
Students in Alabama must be 14 to obtain a work certificate for most jobs. Children ages 11 to 13 may obtain a certificate to work only at a paper route. It must be signed by the employer and either the tutor, church school or other program the student is enrolled in. Fourteen- and 15-year-olds in Alabama must have a 30-minute break if they work more than five hours. Employers are not required to give students ages 16 and up any set breaks. The 14- and 15-year-olds are limited to working in office, retail and child-care positions, while those who are at least 16 can work in any occupation.