Youth Employment Waiver

• Operation of power-driven woodworking machines.
• Operation of elevators and other power-driven hoisting apparatus.
• Operation of power-driven metal forming, punching, and shearing machines.
• Operation of certain power-driven bakery machines. Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, this subsection does not apply to the operation of pizza dough rollers that are a type of dough sheeter that have been constructed with safeguards contained in the basic design so as to prevent fingers, hands, or clothing from being caught in the in-running point of the rollers, that have gears that are completely enclosed, and that have microswitches that disengage the machinery if the backs or sides of the rollers are removed, only when all the safeguards detailed in this subsection are present on the machinery, are operational, and have not been overridden. However, this subsection does apply to the setting up, adjusting, repairing, oiling, or cleaning of pizza dough rollers as described in this subsection.
• Operation of certain power-driven paper products machines, except loading balers if the machine is powered off and the key is stored in a separate area from the machine.
• Manufacturing of brick, tile, and related products.
• Operation of circular saws, band saws, and guillotine shears.
• Wrecking, demolition, and shipbreaking operations.
• Roofing operations.
• Excavation.
• Work activities in or about foundries; provided that office, shipping, and assembly area employment shall not be prohibited by this chapter.
• Operation of dry cleaning or dyeing machinery.
• Transmission, distribution, or delivery of goods or messages between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m.

In this situation, the employer is not working with an approved high school partner (waiver pathway).

You need to apply for a youth employment waiver if you:

• Are an employer in Iowa
• Have an employer-administered work-based learning program that employs 16- and 17-year-olds and would like to include training and skill development for the 16- and 17-year-olds on certain hazardous activities (link to document waiver eligible activities 1.31.26) as part of your training program.

And:

• You are not in a partnership with an approved high school work-based learning program.   

In this situation (employer-led program), employers can apply to include certain hazardous activities that otherwise are prohibited for a limited amount of time and under specific conditions as part of training during the work-based learning program.  

• Get Started: Youth Employment Waiver Application

In this situation, the employer is working in partnership with an approved high school partner (non-waiver pathway).

Any work-based learning program wishing to include certain hazardous activities to train 16- and 17-year-olds must be conducted in partnership with approved high school work-based learning programs and take place under specific agreed-upon conditions (see Iowa Code § 92.8A).

If so, employers with approved school partners must complete the following steps.

1. In partnership with the school program, complete a career and technical education-work-based learner agreement and permission form (CTE Student Learner Agreement and Permission Form)
2. Obtain permission and signatures from the student’s high school, parent or guardian, instructor and employer.
3. Email the completed form to IWD (Kathy.leggett@iwd.iowa.gov).
4. IWD will confirm the program is an approved program in partnership with IDOE.
5. IWD will notify the employer that the program is approved and filed.

Once the employer hears back from IWD that the program is approved and filed, training on any eligible hazardous activities can begin.