Lin Chabra, MIIA Senior Risk Management Manager
Each summer, municipalities rely on seasonal workers to help meet service needs in parks and recreation services and public works, among other areas.
These employees can be a tremendous asset, but seasonal hiring also brings safety, supervision, workers’ compensation, and liability considerations that need to be addressed.
Seasonal workers are often high school or college students, which makes it especially important to match job duties carefully to a worker’s age, experience, and qualifications.
Massachusetts child labor laws limit the hours minors may work and restrict certain tasks and equipment based on age. For example, employers must have Youth Employment Permits on file for all workers under 18, and children under 14 may not work, except in very limited cases.
Municipal employers should make sure required employment permits, licenses, and certifications are in place before work begins, and should confirm that younger workers are not assigned duties they cannot legally perform. (For more information, see Massachusetts Attorney General’s Working Under 18 web resources, Department of Labor Standards’ Laws Regulating Minors’ Work Hours and U.S. Department of Labor’s YouthRules.gov.)
A good seasonal hiring program uses a three-step process — pre-screen, train, and supervise — as a best practice to reduce risk.
Pre-screening helps ensure that workers are suited to the job. Positions involving working with children, such as recreational camp staff and volunteers, may require Criminal and/or Sex Offender Registry Information (CORI) checks. Driving records should be reviewed for anyone expected to operate a vehicle, and employers should verify that required credentials are current, whether for lifeguarding, equipment operation, first aid, or CPR. Some positions may also call for pre-employment physicals, making planning and scheduling necessary.
Training is vital to reducing risk. Seasonal workers need clear, job-specific instruction on what tasks they are authorized to perform, what equipment they may and may not use, what protective gear is required, and what to do if an injury, property damage incident, or emergency occurs. Temporary employees should be included in “tailgate talks” and other routine safety briefings offered to full-time staff. Training should be documented, and employees should sign to confirm that they received and reviewed it.
Supervision is particularly critical, especially for younger workers. Seasonal employees should not be left unsupervised.
An adult, full-time employee should be present to oversee the work, answer questions, reinforce expectations, and step in before inexperience or horseplay leads to injury. This is particularly important in camps, playgrounds, pools, beaches, and public works settings, where a single mistake can have grave consequences.
Municipal employers should pay close attention to the hazards that come with summer work. Outdoor jobs can expose workers to heat stress, dehydration, sunburn, poison ivy, insect bites (including ticks), and lightning. Ticks are becoming particularly hazardous in Massachusetts, with reports of Alpha-gal Syndrome, which causes an allergic reaction to meat and dairy products, on the rise due to Lone Star tick bites.
Ensuring that employees are provided with appropriate breaks, sunscreen, water, and insect repellent will help reduce illness and injury.
Proper first aid protocol is also necessary. Make sure that eye washes are available where required (can be portable, with a 15-minute flush), tested and functional, and that saline solution is within the use date. Also, check first aid kits to make sure they are completely stocked, and all antimicrobials are current and not expired.
Other assignments may involve water safety, traffic exposure, or work around motorized vehicles and mechanical equipment. Make sure that appropriate personal protective equipment is available, especially when chemicals are being used, and that hearing protection is provided for work involving power landscaping equipment.
Reviewing worksites in advance, reinforcing storm safety procedures, and making sure employees know how to recognize and report hazardous conditions promptly can all help reduce risk.
These precautions matter not only for worker well-being, but also for workers’ compensation and liability management. An injury involving a seasonal employee can create costs and consequences that last well beyond the summer months. Medical expenses, lost time, administrative burden, and liability exposure do not necessarily end when school resumes or a short-term job ends. In serious cases, the impact can remain with a municipality for years.
Seasonal workers help communities deliver important services during some of the busiest months of the year. With thoughtful pre-screening, adequate training, and active supervision, municipalities can protect those employees, reduce risk, and make summer employment a positive experience for everyone involved.
