Jun 4, 2020
 in 
Business

How Old Do You Have to Be to Work at Starbucks?

 BY 
Anthony Balogne

If you’re in high school and need some money to buy Axe body spray, makeup, or whatever it is kids spend their money on these days, you have probably asked yourself “how old do you have to be to work at Starbucks?”

Starbucks is a global brand that basically owns their own shade of green. You could travel from Rome to Montreal and still walk into that familiar coffee shop. This is undoubtedly the biggest barrier in answering such a simple question regarding the age of employment. Every city, province/state, and country has its own laws and regulations for the employment of minors.

Working During School Hours

Certain conditions must be adhered to by teenagers looking to make some extra cash. Generally, teens have to work outside of normal class hours. If the job requires a teenager to work during school hours, they must have written consent of a parent or legal guardian.

Starbucks Coffee Source

The Youngest Age for Employment

The youngest someone can apply for jobs varies across state/provincial borders. In Canada, between 12 and 14 years of age, teens are only allowed to work at certain jobs such as a clerk or delivery person of small wares for a retail store, clerk or messenger in an office, delivery person for the distribution of newspapers, flyers or handbills. For any other type of work, they need the approval of the Director of Labour Standards. They are allowed to work on school days, but no more than two hours.

Starbucks Coffee Store Front Source

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD) administers and enforces the federal child labor laws. Generally speaking, the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) sets the minimum age for employment (14 years for non-agricultural jobs), restricts the hour’s youth under the age of 16 may work, and prohibits youth under the age of 18 from being employed in hazardous occupations.

Here is a guide for legal employment in Canada.

Here is a guide for legal employment in the United States.

Starbucks Policy

Starbucks’ official policy follows the varying state/provincial legislature. Which almost across North America means you must be 16 years of age to work there. Handling food/drink, cash/tender takes a level of maturity that might not be possessed in someone younger.

Here’s the bad news: if you really want to work at Starbucks, you’ll have to wait until you’re 16. The good news is there are loads of other retail jobs you can apply for at a younger age. By the time you’re 16, you might not even want to work there anymore, and that’s great too. At 16, the flood gates open and you can apply for any job you want!

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