Woolworths Group Limited happens to be one of the largest Australian companies, with an extensive chain of retail interests throughout New Zealand as well as Australia. It is the largest company in Australia in terms of revenue. Woolworths Group also has the largest takeaway liquor retail service in the country, in addition to being the largest poker machine operator and the largest hotel in the country. All of which makes answering how old you need to be to get a job in Woolworths a little more complicated.
Now before we get to answering this question, we’ll need to make a few assumptions and clarifications. The first being that Woolworths Group as it is called isn’t going to hire anyone under 18-years of age for its liquor business and their poker machine business. So, we assume that anyone who is under 18-wants to work in the retail chain side of the company and that’s what we’re going to focus on in this article.
What’s the Youngest You Can Be To Work in Australia?
It is important to start by looking at what the general age limit for labour is in Australia. It is essential to keep in mind that while there are slight variations in the minimum age limit for who can be employed, by and large, 13 seems to be the minimum age. However, it is important to stress that the law does not allow the employment for what it defines as “children” under the age of 18 for hard labour. The definition of “hard labour” also varies slightly, but it is generally the type of work which is physically stressful like scrubbing the floors or working in a fish harbour.
Employers can only hire teens under 18 for jobs that are “light.” The definition of “light” is mainly the type of work that isn’t physically or mentally stressful. For instance, a youngster can be hired to stack small boxes at Woolworths but not heaving large multi-kilogram crates for hours on end. The same goes for the fact that some types of employment are restricted for people under 18. For instance, people under 18 aren’t allowed to operate a crane because they don’t have an operator’s license and for which they need to be at least 18.
Even though the law has set the minimum age as 13, most employers don’t hire individuals under 15 with 18 being standard across all industries. The discrimination is based on many different factors and not just age. But if solely age, discrimination is found, it can be reported since it is seen as being against the law.
Workplace Types and Minimum Age Requirements
The Woolworth Group has quite a few different business interests in Australia, and each business interest, as mentioned earlier, has a different age requirement. However, since we are focusing on their retail chain business, here too, the age requirement will vary depending on the position they (the company) want to fill.
Broadly speaking, Woolworths can employ anyone who is at least 13 years of age. However, this does not apply to their alcoholic beverages business or their business that sells casino related material. Also, individuals under 18 can’t be employed in industries that are 18+ like the adult industry.
Individuals under 18 may also not be hired for jobs that require they be legal adults to handle tasks like banking or signing cheques on behalf of the company. So, while age discrimination, as mentioned earlier, is against the law, so is hiring a person who is under the legal age limit for specific industries. After all, there is a reason why banks don’t hire anyone under 18!
How Old Should You Be To Get a Job at Woolworths?
Now Woolworths does not have an age limit specified on their website, but most job posts we’ve seen by the company have an age limit stated. The minimum age we’ve seen so far is 13, with the average amongst youngsters being 15. However, many jobs require individuals who are at least 18 years of age and older.
Jobs that require an individual work at the isles like for tagging, stacking and stocking shelves usually require someone with an average age of 15. However, individuals who help the manager and other members of the staff can be under 13 from what we’ve seen so far.
Since Woolworths does not state a minimum age limit for employment, it is safe to say they will employ a 13-year old so as long as the applicant is suitable for the position. As a 13-year old or 14- year old applying at Woolworths for your first job can be challenging, but it is essential to be confident and show a willingness to learn.
Woolworths’ Age Restrictions aren’t Unique
Woolworths is an Australian company, and as such, they need to abide by Australian law. Australian law across most of the retail sector in terms of age limits are the same. In other words, if you are a 14-year old looking for your first job at Woolworths, you’re possibly not going to get turned down here as well by other retail chains for the same position. The only difference may perhaps be what you get paid. Woolworths tends to pay youngsters a little more than some other retail chains, but overall, it’s also an excellent place to work. That’s why this is the retail chain of choice for individuals looking for their first job or those who are looking to spend their summer vacations making some money while keeping busy.
