[Chef Trance]

Hey im sam, and im 17 years old . I got hired at Bjs Brewhouse as a Line Cook, and it was my second day today. Everything was going fine until, they actually found out that im 17 years old, and they told me I have to be 18, so I had to voluntarily leave my job :\. This sucks so bad everything was going so well don't you guys know any places in CA were im actually welcomed to do what I like doing. :\

[OregonYeti]

People have been let go for MUCH worse reasons :^)

you won't have to wait long to get another job and you'll already be 18 with a resume'. Plan for it and be the prodigy and kick butt! It's not long to wait.

[Chef Trance]

yeah i guess ... thanks alot :\

[remie]

Too bad for that..

I have had similar problems too before when I was younger than 18. I wanted to have a summer job and was not accepted because I was too young. It really bummed me out but still I couldn't do anything about it.. So, you're patience will pay off soon enough..

[Mapiva]

I believe you can get a work permit if you have written parental consent. 18 sounds too old to be let go for age! In Virginia you're allowed to work at age 16. I remember working at age 11 (secretely of course) but I was allowed legally to work at 15 with a permit.

[shakeandbake]

Is there a legal age restriction for working in a kitchen? I thought once you are 16 you can get a job. Shows how much I know.

[cheflayne]

In California you can work at 16 as long as you get a work permit signed by parents and school officials, but your hours are limited by length and number of days, but under no conditions are you allowed to work in professions which use potentially hazardous machinery. Kitchens with their slicers and big mixers are considered potentially hazardous.

[michmom]

In Michigan you can't work with knives 'til you're 18. Even Subway can't hire <18 because of the meat cutter and bread knives used. Seems strange, but I'm sure lawsuits had something to do with the rule.

[Chef Trance]

yeah everyone they wanted me to work 4-11:30 and on weekends 4-12:30 since im 17 I cant work after 10:00pm even if I already have my high school diploma. I really liked the job, but guess what I never give up haha im gonna find a even better job. : ]

[jbd]

and to think about Wolfgang Puck leaving home and starting his apprenticeship at age 14. Hang in there Chef Trance, your time will come.

[wiccan1]

as long as you are cooking and not serving they should not be able to fire you I have worked in a couple of pubs here in canada and one of my students was only 16 as long you are cooking they can't do that if you have some kind of labour board there I would talk to them

[phatch]

If you presented yourself as 18, you took the job under false pretenses. If it were my establishment, I'd have fired you for that.

As it sounds like an establishment of alcohol, they may have been liable for a number of law violations by employing you.

They did nothing wrong in my view.

[Chef Trance]

Originally Posted by phatch

If you presented yourself as 18, you took the job under false pretenses. If it were my establishment, I'd have fired you for that.

As it sounds like an establishment of alcohol, they may have been liable for a number of law violations by employing you.

They did nothing wrong in my view.

i did not present my self as 18, i presented my self as a minor 17 years old, its just that he doesn't speak english well so I guess he got misunderstood.

[Jim]

Age restrictions put in place by the state may exist; some states allow young people to start working at 14. However, there may be corporate policy that states employment may not commence until 18. Alcohol on site may also be a factor in the age of employment. The alcohol commission for a particular jursidiction has the final say when alcohol is concerned.

[OregonYeti]

Trance got another job . . .