Work permit for a minor in Puerto Rico

The minor employment permit is a certificate the Labor Standards Bureau issues before a minor can work in the private sector in Puerto Rico. The main form, NNT-16-70, is not filled in by one person: it has four sections with four different people responsible. The Minor’s Information is completed by the minor with their personal details. The School Information and School Certification is completed by the school or institution they attend. The Employer’s Declaration is completed by the employer who will hire the minor, with the details of the establishment, and must state the hourly wage the minor will earn and the assigned work schedule. And the parent, mother or legal guardian’s Certification is signed by whoever authorizes the employment, along with the minor’s own signature. The NNT insists that NNT-16-70 be signed by the employer, the minor and the parent or legal guardian.

The NNT states that any minor who wishes to work needs the permit. Which of the four procedures applies depends on the situation: the regular permit if the minor will work during the school year or outside class hours; the child-performer permit if the participation is in entertainment-industry activities, under Ley 112-1985; the vocational training permit if, as part of the Education Department’s or a private school’s Vocational Education Program, a practicum under the direct supervision and instruction of school officials or teachers is required; and the special permit for the summer or Christmas vacation period. Neither the NNT page nor the General Information document publishes a minimum working age, an hours limit, or a general list of prohibited occupations.

• Taking the completed forms in person to the NNT Area Office nearest the minor’s residence.Verified against the official source
• That the minor be present when the permit is requested. The parents need not be present if one of them signed.Verified against the official source
• That NNT-16-70 be signed by the employer, by the minor and by the parent, mother or legal guardian.Verified against the official source
• That the Employer’s Declaration state the hourly wage the minor will earn and the assigned work schedule.Verified against the official source

• Regular permit: NNT-16-70 (Application for Minor Employment Permit), NNT-19 (Health Certificate) or a copy of the Public Health Unit’s Health Certificate, proof of age, and NNT-70 A or B where applicable.
• NNT-70 A: completed by the parent or legal guardian of a 16- or 17-year-old who stopped attending school or finished their studies and will not continue postsecondary education. NNT-70 B: completed by the parent or legal guardian of a minor studying under Homeschooling or the high-school equivalency exam.
• Proof of age: one of these documents — a birth certificate valid from 1 July 2010 onward, baptismal record, passport, driver’s licence, or any other current official government document certifying age.
• Child performers: in addition to the above, a copy of the employment contract signed by the employer and by the minor’s parent or guardian, including a brief description of the minor’s participation in the artistic activity. If the participation coincides with a school day, a school certification excusing attendance for the period the participation covers.
• Vocational training: NNT-270 (Vocational Training Permit Application), NNT-19 or a copy of the Public Health Unit’s Health Certificate, and proof of age. The school section is completed by the coordinating teacher, and if the hourly wage will be based on a sub-minimum, the corresponding sub-minimum certification must be submitted.
• Summer or Christmas vacation: only NNT-16-70 and proof of age. The School Information and School Certification section is not completed in these cases.

1. 1

   Step 1: Decide which of the four permits is yours

   Regular permit, to work during the school year or outside class hours. Child performers, under Ley 112-1985, if the participation is in the entertainment field. Vocational training, if the Education Department’s Vocational Education Program or a private school requires the minor to do a practicum under the direct supervision of school officials or teachers. And the special summer or Christmas vacation permit, which asks for far less paperwork. Picking the wrong track is the fastest way to have to come back.

2. 2

   Step 2: Hand out the four sections of NNT-16-70

   Each section is filled in by a different person, which is why it pays to start early. The minor fills in their personal details. The school or institution fills in the School Information and Certification — except for summer and Christmas permits, where that section is not completed. The employer fills in the Employer’s Declaration with the establishment’s details, the hourly wage and the assigned schedule. And the parent or legal guardian signs the Certification authorizing the employment. The minor’s signature must be there too. The NNT expressly asks you to make sure the form is signed by all three: employer, minor and parent or legal guardian.

3. 3

   Step 3: Get the health certificate and the proof of age

   The Health Certificate is form NNT-19, completed by the doctor who examines the minor; a copy of the Public Health Unit’s Health Certificate serves instead. As proof of age any of these is accepted: a birth certificate valid from 1 July 2010 onward, baptismal record, passport, driver’s licence, or any other current official government document certifying age. Note: for summer and Christmas permits no health certificate is needed, only NNT-16-70 and proof of age.

4. 4

   Step 4: NNT-70 A or NNT-70 B?

   This is the most confusing distinction. NNT-70 A is completed by the parent or legal guardian of a 16- or 17-year-old who stopped attending school, or who finished their studies and will not continue postsecondary education. NNT-70 B is completed by the parent or legal guardian of a minor studying under Homeschooling or the high-school equivalency exam. If the minor attends school normally, what applies is the School Certification within NNT-16-70 itself, not NNT-70.

5. 5

   Step 5: If it is a child performer, read the four prohibitions

   Beyond the signed contract and the description of the participation, the NNT publishes four places or scenes where the minor may not be employed, used, engaged or perform: where alcoholic beverages are sold as the establishment’s main activity; in places declared dangerous by any agency of the Government of Puerto Rico or of the United States; in obscene shows; and in scenes that may involve conduct of an obscene nature or contrary to morals. And if the participation coincides with a school day, a school certification excusing the absence for the period covered must be submitted.

6. 6

   Step 6: Go to the Area Office with the minor

   This is the step where most people waste the trip. The process is in person and is done at the NNT Area Office nearest the minor’s residence. The offices are in San Juan, Arecibo, Mayagüez, Ponce, Caguas and Humacao. The minor must be present when the permit is requested; the parents need not be if one of them signed. For additional help, including copies of the laws and regulations, the NNT tells you to contact your Area Office.

In person at the Labor Standards Bureau Area Office nearest the minor’s residence: San Juan, Arecibo, Mayagüez, Ponce, Caguas or Humacao. Each office’s phone numbers are on trabajo.pr.gov, and the full addresses appear in this site’s Labor Standards Bureau claims guide.

• Going to the office without the minor: their presence is required.
• Bringing NNT-16-70 missing one of the three signatures: employer, minor and parent or legal guardian.
• Chasing the school for the school certification for a summer or Christmas permit, when that section is not completed.
• Getting a health certificate for a vacation permit, which does not ask for one.
• Confusing NNT-70 A with B: A is for a 16- or 17-year-old who left school or finished; B is for Homeschooling or equivalency exam.
• Handing in the Employer’s Declaration without the hourly wage or the assigned schedule.
• For child performers, handing in the contract without the brief description of the minor’s participation.

These are the government pages this guide is based on.

• Departamento del Trabajo y Recursos Humanos (DTRH)

  Departamento del Trabajo

  www.trabajo.pr.gov

• NNT — General Information, Minor Employment Permits (PDF)

  DTRH

  www.trabajo.pr.gov