A provision buried in Ohio's HB455 quietly expanded the hours teenagers can work—and child care operators should understand what that means.
Most child care owners in Ohio don't realize that a change tucked into HB455 has already shifted the rules around teenage employment in their state. The bill, which primarily addresses public school operations and the Department of Education and Workforce (DEW), contains a provision that directly affects who you can hire and when.
Under the revised Section 4109.07(A)(4), minors under 16 can now work until 9 PM on nights before non-school days—up from the previous 7 PM cutoff. This applies with parental approval and took effect upon the bill's enactment, with no delayed implementation period.
In plain terms: if a teenager's next day is not a school day, they can now stay on the clock two hours later than before.
This change matters most to child care centers, after-school programs, and related facilities that employ teenagers for evening shifts—particularly on Friday and Saturday nights, or before holidays and summer breaks when school is not in session.
If you've struggled to fill evening positions or relied on older staff because younger workers had hard scheduling limits, this provision expands your options. A 15-year-old can now work a 5 PM to 9 PM shift on a Friday night, where that wasn't previously allowed.
First, verify parental consent is documented. The law requires it, and maintaining clear records protects both you and the employee's family.
Second, review your current scheduling practices. If you've been turning away teenage applicants or limiting their hours artificially to stay compliant, you now have more flexibility—but only on non-school nights. A minor still cannot work past 7 PM on a night before a school day.
Third, confirm that any other applicable labor rules still apply. This provision expands hours; it doesn't override other protections around break periods, safety, or maximum weekly hours that Ohio and federal law impose on minors.
Child care and related service businesses often struggle with evening and weekend staffing. Teenagers are a traditional source of reliable, cost-effective labor for these shifts. By extending permissible hours on non-school nights, HB455 gives operators more scheduling flexibility and a larger pool of available workers during peak demand periods.
The change is modest—two hours—but it can make a real difference in covering Friday and Saturday shifts, or in staffing your facility during summer and holiday weeks when school is out.
The provision appears on page 298 of HB455 and is codified in Section 4109.07(A)(4) of the Ohio Revised Code.
For a free, detailed guide to teen employment rules specific to child care operations in Ohio, contact your state child care association or local business resource center.