A provision in HB455 quietly expanded evening work hours for teenage employees—and most restaurant owners haven't heard about it yet.
Most Ohio restaurant owners don't realize that state law just changed what hours they can schedule teenage workers. And that matters, because it directly affects how you staff Friday and Saturday nights.
Here's what happened: Ohio's legislature passed HB455, a bill primarily focused on public schools and the Department of Education and Workforce. Buried inside it, on page 298, is a change to Section 4109.07(A)(4) of the Ohio Revised Code that expands permissible working hours for employees under 16.
Before, minors under 16 in Ohio could work until 7 PM on school nights and until 9 PM on non-school nights. The new rule keeps that framework but clarifies and expands the non-school-night window: minors under 16 may now work until 9 PM on any night before a non-school day—with parental approval.
That means a 15-year-old can now legally work a Friday or Saturday night shift that extends to 9 PM, provided their parent or guardian has approved it and the next day is not a school day.
This applies to any employee under 16 in your restaurant. It doesn't change rules for workers 16 and older. And parental consent is required—you cannot schedule a minor under 16 for these extended hours without documented approval from a parent or legal guardian.
Restaurants, bars, and hospitality venues have long struggled to fill evening and weekend shifts. Teenage workers are a critical part of that labor pool, especially for roles like host, busser, dishwasher, and prep cook. The ability to schedule them until 9 PM on Friday and Saturday nights—instead of 7 PM—gives you two extra hours of coverage on your busiest service periods. For small operators, that's meaningful flexibility.
It also means you can build more consistent schedules. If a teen can reliably work until 9 PM on weekend nights, you're not scrambling to find adult coverage for the final hours of service.
If you want to use this expanded window, keep it simple: get written parental consent before scheduling any minor under 16 for shifts that extend past 7 PM on non-school nights. A simple form or email confirmation works. Store it with your employment records. That protects both you and the employee.
The provision took effect upon enactment of HB455. There was no delayed effective date, so the rule is in force now.
This change is one of several labor-related provisions in state law worth understanding. The Ohio Restaurant Association and similar trade groups have plain-language guides to teen employment rules available for free—worth a quick review if you regularly hire workers under 16.
Source: Ohio HB455, Section 4109.07(A)(4), page 298.