In the State of Illinois, minors attempting to work for a wage must comply with the Child Labor Law (850 ILCS 205/1). A copy of the law is provided in the next section. However, in order to comply with the law and to provide a service to the young people of Chicago who are seeking summer work, the Chicago Public Schools, Education to Careers Office, offers the following information:

Work Permits are issued to minors up through the age of 15. Permits cannot be issued to minors under the age of 14 unless the minor will be employed as a model pursuant to... the Illinois Child Labor Law. In order for a parent and student to apply for a Work Permit, the following conditions must be met:

• Complete a written application as required under section 205/12 of the Illinois Child Labor Law.
  
• A parent/guardian must be present when the application is completed and filed, as required under section 205/12 of the Illinois Child Labor Law.
  
• The student (minor/child) must be present when issuing a Work Permit. A parent/guardian MAY NOT obtain a Work Permit without the student (child) recipient, as the application requires verified signature.
  

• Letter of Intent to Employ; three individual letters will be prepared for each prospective student employee and delivered to their home high school. The letter states the students name, home school, job location, position, and supervisor=s name, as well as the hours of day and the number of days per week that the student will be employed. The address and telephone number of the job location is also described in the A Letter of Intent to Employ.
  
• Verification of Age; the verification must an actual document from the following list:
  
  • Birth Certificate
    
  • Passport
    
  • Baptismal Certificate
    
  • Bible Record
    
  • Hospital Record
    
  • Social Security Card; this verification must be made from the actual card.
    
  • Report of a Physical Examination; the report must be dated from within one year of the date of the application. The parent/guardian may present a note from a physician that states that the named student (child) is physically able to work or a copy of the physician=s examination required for entering Chicago Public High School freshmen (if the examination date is valid).
    
  • Parent Approval; the approval must be expressed in a written note. The KidStart Job Application will suffice for parent approval if it is signed by the parent/guardian.
    
  • School Principals complete a form (Pink) that verifies that the student is making satisfactory academic progress. The form is only required if the student seeks part-time employment during the school year.