If you’re young but thinking about applying for a job at Walmart, you are probably wondering: How old do you have to be to stock shelves at Walmart?
We have the answer you need right here!
How Old Do You Have to Be to Stock Shelves at Walmart?
You have to be 16 years old to stock shelves at Walmart. While the law doesn’t restrict companies from hiring 15-year-olds, Walmart does. And that’s because those under 16 can work fewer hours, and there are stricter rules due to child labor laws that Walmart doesn’t want to deal with.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- You must be 16 years old to stock shelves at Walmart.
- Some stores hire 15-year-olds to stock shelves, such as Kroger and Publix.
- You cannot work as a stocker at Walmart until you are 16 because 15-year-olds have too many legal restrictions on their schedules.
In this article, we will find out how old you have to be to stock shelves at Walmart’s competitors.
And why you can’t work at Walmart until you’re at least 16 years old.
You are going to understand the rules in no time.
Is Walmart’s Stocker Age Requirement the Same for Its Competitors?
The first thing to understand about Walmart’s stocker age requirement is that it’s not always the same as its direct competitors.
Here are the minimum age requirements for stockers at popular Walmart competitors:
- Walmart: 16 years old
- Publix: 15 years old
- Kroger’s: 15 years old
- Safeway: 16 years old
- Home Depot: 18 years old
- Target: 16 years old
- Whole Foods: 16 years old
As you can see, the age changes from store to store. And you might be wondering why Walmart (and some other companies) have a higher requirement than others!
Why Can You Not Work as a Stocker at Walmart Until 16 Years Old?
Here’s the bottom line: Legally, you can stock shelves at a store from 14 years old!
However, strict child labor laws are in place for those under 16 years old to keep kids safe and in school. For example, kids aged 14-15 can only work 3 hours on school days and 18 hours total during the weeks they are in school.
The reason why you cannot work as a stocker at Walmart until you are 16 years old is simply that Walmart does not want to deal with the intense regulations for those under 16.
There are thousands of full-time and part-time workers at Walmart, and the company doesn’t need to employ anyone younger than 16 to be fully staffed.
Conclusion
You need to be at least 16 years old to stock shelves at Walmart.
Although some of Walmart’s competitors, such as Publix and Kroger, hire 15-year-olds to stock their shelves, Walmart doesn’t.
Even though it isn’t illegal to hire a stocker under 16, there are quite a few rules due to child labor laws for kids under 16 that Walmart simply doesn’t want to worry about!