First, check out the laws that regulate employment of children. You are considered a child until you turn 18, regardless of your maturity. You must be at least 14 years old to get a job (there are very few exceptions to this rule). Until you are 16 years old, you may also not work after 9:00 PM or before 7:00 AM during the summer (during other times of year, you're restricted to only working before 7:00 PM), and you may not work more than 40 hours a week and 8 hours a day during the summer (during other times of the year, you're restricted to only working 18 hours a week and 3 hours a day).
If you're under 18, there are other restrictions that also apply. You may not work during regular school hours, which includes during summer school hours if you are enrolled. Over the age of 16, you are also restricted from overtime or more than 8 hours of work per day, and you cannot perform any “hazardous” duties. These duties include: using power tools like band saws and milling machines, mining, roofing, demolition, working in areas with high noise levels, working around unprotected electrical current, and just about any other industry where you could be injured in any way. You also may not serve alcohol.
Remember, however, that summer jobs aren't just for the high school crowd! Because summer brings around tons of new working opportunities, due to children being out of school and people going on vacation, there are openings of all sorts for absolutely anyone looking for a little extra cash. Retired? A summer job can be a fun way to get out of the house when the weather is nice. Have a job that doesn't require you to work in the summer, like teaching? Supplement your income with a summer job. Because of the nature of summer jobs, you can find plenty of part-time night and weekend options available, simply to boost your income for a few months, even if you have a regular full-time job. There's something for everyone in the summertime!
