Victoria to inspect retail and hospitality employers
Young workers in Victoria will be a focus of school holiday inspections by Workforce Inspectorate Victoria, with checks planned at retail and hospitality businesses that employ children under 15.
WIV will inspect those sectors because children under 15 are most likely to work there during the holidays. Inspectors will check whether employers are hiring children safely and following Victoria’s child employment laws.
Common risks in those jobs include burns from cooking equipment, cuts from knives, manual handling injuries and insufficient supervision.
Child employment rules for holidays
Businesses that hire children under 15 must hold a child employment licence before any work starts. They must also comply with Child Safe Standards.
The rules cover the type of work children can do, supervision requirements, maximum working hours and rest breaks.
During school holidays, children can work up to 6 hours a day and 30 hours a week. Those limits differ from the rules that apply during the school term.
Workers under 15 must be supervised by someone with a valid Victorian Working with Children Clearance, unless that person is exempt.
Licences are free, last for up to 2 years and can cover multiple children under one permit.
Deputy Commissioner Lily Dekic said proper supervision and breaks help children under 15 have a safe first experience of work.
WIV’s last school holiday inspection program identified 574 potential breaches of Victoria’s child employment laws and led to one prosecution.
On 10 September 2026, WIV also announced that 85% Pty Ltd, trading as Mount Martha Gourmet Burgers, was fined $8,000 after pleading guilty to employing children without a child employment licence.
According to WIV, the business employed 3 children under 15 in customer service, cleaning, food packing and serving duties over 7 months.
“We support businesses through the licence process, educate them on their obligations – we prefer to help than prosecute,” Dekic said.
