Can employers set minimum ages for jobs within their workplaces?
Some workplaces have established their own, more stringent minimum ages for employment. For instance, some retail establishments and restaurant chains will not hire anyone under the age of 16, even though the legislated minimum age limit is lower. Similarly, some industrial establishments, and other workplaces that require the use of heavy equipment or machinery, will not hire anyone under the age of 18, even though the legislated minimum age limit might be lower. Such in-house minimum age requirements may be acceptable, as long as the limits do not conflict with the Ontario Human Rights Code or other applicable law.
