A provision buried in Ohio's education bill quietly expanded the hours teenagers can work—and it took effect immediately.
Most health services owners in Ohio don't realize that a provision tucked into HB455 just changed the rules for hiring and scheduling teenage workers. The change is already in effect, and it affects how you can staff evening and weekend shifts.
Under the new rule in Section 4109.07(A)(4) of Ohio law, 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 only on nights when the minor does not have school the following day.
The distinction matters: a teenager can work until 9 PM on a Friday night (no school Saturday) or Saturday night (no school Sunday), but the 7 PM limit still applies on school nights.
For clinics, urgent care centers, dental practices, and other health services that operate extended evening hours or weekend schedules, this expands your available labor pool. If you currently rely on workers 16 and older for evening shifts, you now have the option to employ younger teenagers during peak hours on non-school nights—with proper documentation of parental consent.
The two-hour extension may seem modest, but it directly addresses a common scheduling pain point: the gap between school dismissal and closing time on weekend nights. For smaller practices or those in areas with tight labor markets, this can meaningfully improve scheduling flexibility.
The rule applies only to minors under 16. You'll need written parental approval on file. The expanded hours are limited to non-school nights only—meaning nights before days when the minor has no school. You cannot schedule a 14-year-old until 9 PM on a Tuesday if they have school Wednesday morning.
Ohio's other child labor rules remain unchanged. You should review your current practices with your payroll or HR advisor to ensure full compliance with all applicable restrictions on work duties, break requirements, and documentation.
HB455 took effect upon enactment. There was no delayed implementation period, so the new hours are already in effect.
If you've been operating under the old 7 PM rule, you can adjust your scheduling practices now—but make sure you have parental consent forms in place before assigning any minor under 16 to a shift extending past 7 PM.
This summary reflects Section 4109.07(A)(4) of Ohio Revised Code as amended by HB455. For specific questions about your practice's compliance obligations, consult your employment law advisor or the Ohio Department of Commerce and Workforce.