New Online Tool Coming Soon for Youth Employment Permits

Michigan is preparing to launch the new Youth Employment Permit Portal (YEPP), a centralized online system that will modernize the state’s youth employment permit process and make it more convenient and accessible for minors, families and employers. 

Beginning Oct. 2, 2026, employers and minors will use YEPP to complete the youth employment permit process through one statewide system. Local school districts and nonpublic schools will no longer issue youth employment permits. 

The new system will: 

• Allow minors and employers to complete the permit process online at any time of day, providing greater flexibility, particularly during the summer months when schools may have limited hours. 

• Require employers to register with the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity (LEO) before hiring minors. 

• Allow employers to notify LEO when a minor’s employment ends. 

• Provide LEO with greater visibility into youth employment across Michigan. 

• Create opportunities for LEO to proactively communicate youth worker rights and responsibilities directly to minors and employers. 

Live Webinar — Sept. 24 

To help employers, schools, families and other stakeholders prepare for the transition, LEO will host a Youth Employment Permit Portal webinar on Thursday, Sept. 24, from 2–3:30 p.m. 

The webinar will feature State Rep. Phil Skaggs, LEO leaders and representatives from the company that developed YEPP, who will provide an overview of the new system, discuss the transition and answer questions about the updated youth employment permit process.