Peculiarities of employment relationships of minor employees in Lithuania: legal regulation and problematics

Abstract

The employment of minors in Lithuania is characterised by specific legal requirements and safeguards aimed at protecting their health, education, and overall well-being. As the participation of minors in the labour market continues to increase, the practical implementation of these safeguards becomes increasingly important. Although Lithuanian legislation establishes a comprehensive legal framework governing the employment of minors, questions remain regarding the effectiveness of its implementation in practice. The aim of this study is to analyse the national legal framework governing the employment of persons under eighteen years of age and to identify the main legal and practical issues arising in employment relationships involving minor employees. The research is based on document analysis, comparative analysis, and a quantitative survey of individuals who worked in Lithuania before reaching the age of eighteen. A total of 103 employment experiences were analysed.The results demonstrate that Lithuanian legislation generally complies with international and European Union standards and provides a broad system of safeguards for minor employees. However, the empirical study revealed significant shortcomings in the practical implementation of these safeguards. The most common violations were related to employment formalities, working and rest time requirements, occupational safety and health, unofficial wage payments, and age-based discrimination. The findings also indicate insufficient awareness of employment rights among minors and a low tendency to seek assistance when faced with potential violations. The study concludes that, despite the existence of a comprehensive legal framework, the protection of minor employees in practice remains insufficient. Strengthening supervision mechanismsand improving minors’ awareness of their employment rights are essential for ensuring more effective implementation of existing legal safeguards.