Child Labour Policy

Hornet Press Pty Ltd

Effective Date: Monday 27 April 2026

Review Date: 27 April 2027

Policy Owner: Managing Director / HR Manager

 

  1. Purpose

Hornet Press Pty Ltd is committed to the ethical treatment of all workers and the protection of children from exploitation and harm. This policy establishes the standards and procedures governing the employment of persons under the age of 15 in accordance with Victorian law and Hornet Press’ broader ethical obligations.

 

  1. Scope

This policy applies to:

  • All Hornet Press Pty Ltd employees, managers, and directors
  • Contractors, labour hire workers, and volunteers engaged by Hornet Press
  • All Hornet Press operations, including the eCommerce platforms and Knoxfield premises

 

  1. Legislative Framework

This policy is governed by the following legislation:

  • Child Employment Act 2003 (Vic)
  • Child Wellbeing and Safety Act 2005 (Vic) — Child Safe Standards
  • Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth)
  • Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Cth)
  • Applicable Modern Awards (including the General Retail Industry Award 2020)

 

  1. Minimum Age Requirements

Hornet Press operates in the retail trade sector. The following minimum age requirements apply:

  • Retail operations: No person under the age of 13 may be employed in any capacity.
  • General employment: Persons aged 13 or 14 may only be employed in light duties outside school hours, subject to the conditions in this policy.
  • No exceptions: Hornet Press will not engage any person under the minimum age, whether as a paid employee, unpaid intern, or volunteer.

 

  1. Licensing Requirements

Before employing any person under the age of 15, Hornet Press must:

  1. Obtain a valid Child Employment Licence (General) from Wage Inspectorate Victoria
  2. Ensure the licence is current and covers the relevant role and location
  3. Notify Wage Inspectorate Victoria for each child employed under the licence
  4. Renew the licence before expiry (licences are valid for up to 2 years)

 

The Managing Director or nominated HR Manager is responsible for obtaining and maintaining the licence. Employment of a child without a valid licence is a criminal offence.

 

  1. Working Hours and Conditions

Employees aged 13 or 14 must not work:

  • During school hours on any school day
  • More than 3 hours on any school day
  • More than 12 hours in any school week
  • More than 6 hours on any non-school day
  • More than 30 hours in any non-school week
  • Before 6:00 am or after 9:00 pm on any day

 

Rest breaks: A minimum 30-minute unpaid break must be provided after every 3 hours of continuous work.

Shift gaps: A minimum of 12 hours must elapse between the end of one shift and the start of the next.

 

  1. Supervision Requirements

All employees under the age of 15 must be supervised at all times by a person who:

  • Is aged 18 years or older
  • Holds a current and valid Victorian Working with Children (WWC) Clearance

 

Hornet Press will verify and maintain records of WWC Clearances for all supervisors of under-15 employees. Supervision arrangements must be documented prior to the commencement of any shift.

 

  1. Parental and Guardian Consent

Before a person under the age of 15 commences employment, Hornet Press must obtain:

  • Written consent from the child’s parent or legal guardian
  • Confirmation that the parent or guardian has been informed of the role, hours, duties, and workplace location

 

Consent must be retained on the employee’s personnel file for the duration of employment and for a minimum of 7 years thereafter.

 

  1. Permitted Duties

Employees under the age of 15 may only perform light duties appropriate to their age and physical capacity. At Hornet Press, this may include:

  • Assisting with product display and shelf organisation
  • Customer greeting and basic customer service under direct supervision
  • Light administrative tasks

 

Employees under 15 must not:

  • Operate machinery, power tools, or heavy equipment
  • Handle cash registers unsupervised
  • Perform tasks involving physical risk or hazardous materials
  • Work alone or without direct adult supervision at any time

 

  1. Child Safe Standards

Hornet Press is committed to the Victorian Child Safe Standards under the Child Wellbeing and Safety Act 2005. This includes:

  • Maintaining a culture of child safety across all operations
  • Ensuring all staff understand their obligations to report concerns about child safety
  • Conducting risk assessments for any role involving contact with persons under 18
  • Providing child safety awareness information to all relevant staff

 

  1. Age Verification

Hornet Press will verify the age of all prospective employees prior to engagement. Acceptable proof of age documents include:

  • Birth certificate
  • Australian passport
  • Government-issued photo identification

 

Copies of age verification documents must be retained on the employee’s personnel file.

 

  1. Record Keeping

Hornet Press will maintain the following records for all employees under the age of 15:

  • Proof of age documentation
  • Written parental or guardian consent
  • Child Employment Licence details
  • WWC Clearance details for all supervisors
  • Timesheets recording actual start and finish times for each shift
  • Any incident or injury reports

Records must be retained for a minimum of 7 years.

 

  1. Breaches of This Policy

Any breach of this policy, including employing a child without a valid licence, failing to obtain parental consent, or failing to provide adequate supervision, will be treated as a serious matter and may result in:

  • Disciplinary action up to and including termination of employment
  • Referral to Wage Inspectorate Victoria
  • Criminal prosecution under the Child Employment Act 2003 (Vic)

 

Employees who become aware of a breach of this policy must report it immediately to the Managing Director or HR Manager.

 

     14. Remediation of Non-Compliance 

Should the employment of a child in breach of this Policy be discovered at any Hornet Press site or operation, the following steps will be taken immediately. The child will be removed from the workplace without delay, and their safety and wellbeing will be the primary consideration throughout the process. Hornet Press will notify the child’s parent or guardian as soon as practicable and, where required by law, report the matter to the relevant authority, including the Wage Inspectorate Victoria. An internal investigation will be conducted to identify how the breach occurred, who was responsible, and what corrective actions are required to prevent recurrence. Any manager or employee found to have knowingly engaged or permitted the engagement of a child in contravention of this Policy or applicable legislation will be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment. Hornet Press will cooperate fully with any regulatory investigation and will implement all remediation measures identified, including reviewing recruitment and onboarding procedures, updating training, and strengthening age verification controls.

 

     15. Policy Review

This policy will be reviewed annually or following any change in applicable legislation. The Managing Director is responsible for ensuring this policy remains current and compliant.

 

Approved by: John Mandile, Director

Hornet Press Pty Ltd

27/04/2026