- What are Entertainment Work Permits?
- Who is Required to Have Them?
- Which Types of Permits are Available?
- How Long are They Valid For?
- When are Parents/Guardians Obligated to Have Them?
- Things to Keep in Mind
Whether you’re filming a commercial or a feature-length film, you’ll need to request entertainment work permits from all minors you’ve cast for your roles. As a result of decades of legislative advances toward protecting children from exploitation and unsafe working conditions across all industries, Child Entertainment Laws are now almost universal across all 50 states with only minor differences. Here’s a guide to help you navigate Entertainment Work Permits for Minors and familiarize you with all the necessary laws and regulations.
What are Entertainment Work Permits?
Permits are legal documents that set out work requirements and rules for working with minors. They aim to protect child talent from exploitation, unfair hours, and unsafe working conditions. They stipulate rules for the number of hours that the child can work, access to food and water, restrooms, the total amount of working hours within 24 hours, and so much more.
Who is Required to Have Them?
Every minor is required to have a work permit in order to work on a set. A minor’s parent or guardian must apply for the permit themselves before they begin working. Even if a minor travels to, let’s say, California in order to film a project, they are still required to apply for a work permit in that state regardless of their state of origin.
Which Types of Permits are Available?
There are two types of work permits available:
- A temporary permit
- An entertainment work permit
The difference between temporary permits and standard entertainment work permits is that temporary permits are only valid for 10 days and are suitable for minors just exploring working in the entertainment industry. If you’ve never requested an entertainment work permit for your child's talent, then this one will be your first.
How Long are They Valid For?
The standard Entertainment Work Permit is valid for six months and must be renewed every six months to remain valid. A parent or a guardian of the minor can apply for the permit on the Department of Industrial Relations of your State, in this case, California: https://www.dir.ca.gov/dlse/entertainment-work-permit.htm
DLSE suggests applying at least 6 weeks before your current permit expires to allow processing time. Parents or guardians must obtain an authorized school official’s certification stating that the minor’s attendance, health, and scholastic records are satisfactory in order to receive the permit.
When are Parents/Guardians Obligated to Have Them?
Once the parent or guardian has had their permit approved and mailed to them, productions will request a scan or a picture of it prior to booking the job. Once on set, they will need to bring the original copy with them for every day of shooting in order for the welfare workers/teachers to sign it.
Things to Keep in Mind
Know that along with having necessary work permits for the child's talent, you are also obligated to provide a welfare worker/teacher to all minors during their time on set. Depending on whether school is in session, you will need to have one teacher per 10 minors or 1 per 20 if it isn’t. Though there is a lot of paperwork to go through, there hasn't been a better time to work with child talent. With millions of kids exploring acting and modeling for the first time on casting networks like kidscasting.com, finding that perfect match for your commercial production is a lot easier. Browse millions of quality profiles, contact your chosen talent, and have your casting needs met without a hitch! Go to kidscasting.com to know more!
