Employment of middle school students: Findings from the Massachusetts youth health survey, 2009

Introduction: Most research on youth employment has focused on 16-18 years olds. Some studies indicate younger teens and pre-teens also work, but little information about where they work is available. Methods: To learn more about employment among younger children, we incorporated questions about work for pay, other than yard work or babysitting, and type of workplace in the 2009 Massachusetts Youth Health Survey, conducted in a random sample of middle and high schools and classrooms within schools in Massachusetts. Narrative text responses describing type of workplace were reviewed to better characterize where students work and assess students' understanding of the initial question. Data were collected from 2,859 students from grades 6 - 8 in 69 schools and weighted to reflect the distribution of students statewide. Results: Eighteen percent (estimated 37,321students) reported working for pay in the past year. Most common workplaces were: other (52%), recreation or entertainment (12%), landscaping company (10%), restaurant (9%), and construction site (7%). In a crude analysis of 422 surveys with narratives describing work, the most common response was paper route (15%), followed by sports-related (9%), miscellaneous work for a neighbor (9%), shoveling (7%), and dog walking (6%). Eleven percent listed babysitting, yard work, or work for a family member. Discussion:. Despite laws prohibiting most work under age 14, many middle school students are working. Outreach about child labor laws and health and safety for students and parents should begin before high school. Refinement of employment questions, with cognitive testing with middle school students, is needed.