This year the Department is continuing to conduct the proactive compliance campaign about the employment of children in the fast food industry. In 2017 the campaign was aimed at fast food businesses in the Perth metropolitan and regional areas to educate employers about the employment of children laws under the Children and Community Services Act 2004.

The Department is now targeting chain coffee stores in both the metropolitan and regional areas of Western Australia as part of this campaign. Chain coffee stores are major employers of young workers.

Employers will be provided with the Employer Information Pack Employment of children laws in WA - shop, restaurant, fast food or takeaway food business. This is also available on the Wageline website and contains:

• a fact sheet for employers on employment of children laws
• a self-audit checklist to help employers operating a shop or restaurant (including a fast food or takeaway food business) to conduct a self-audit of compliance with the child employment laws
• a template form for gaining written parental permission for employing children who are 13 or 14 years of age. The template form is provided in both Word and editable PDF format.

The minimum age for the employment of children in a shop, restaurant, fast food or takeaway food business is 13 years. Children aged 13 or 14 must have written permission from a parent and must not work during school hours, start work before 6.00am or finish after 10.00pm.