Welcome to ORGATEC’s channel! Did you know that your company may be required to hire Young Apprentices? That’s right! This is not just a best practice: there is a law that defines who must comply with this rule. Today, I’m going to explain who is required, how to calculate the quota, how to hire, and what happens if the company does not comply.
The Young Apprentice Program was created by the Apprenticeship Law (Law No. 10.097/2000) and aims to insert teenagers and young people into the job market, offering both theoretical and practical training. The contract is special: it has a maximum duration of up to 2 years, a formal employment contract, guaranteed labor and social security rights, and mandatory enrollment and attendance in a training course. In other words, the young person learns through practice but also studies to become qualified.
Who Is Required to Hire? The rule is simple:
- Required to hire: All medium and large companies, that is, those that are not classified as ME (Microenterprise) or EPP (Small Business), according to Complementary Law 123/2006.
- Exempt from hiring: Microenterprises, Small Businesses, and Individual Micro-Entrepreneurs (MEIs); and non-profit entities focused on professional training — although they may hire apprentices voluntarily.
How to Calculate the Apprentice Quota? The law establishes that companies must hire from 5% to 15% of employees whose positions require professional training. Important: the calculation base is not the total number of employees, but rather the positions that can be taught.
- Practical example: A company with 200 employees, of which 100 work in roles that require qualification → quota between 5 and 15 apprentices.
Which Positions Count in the Calculation? Not all positions are considered.
- Included: Administrative roles (office assistant, accounting assistant, administrative assistant), technical roles (mechanics, electrical, IT, logistics, industrial production), and commercial roles (sales, customer service).
- Excluded: Management, supervisory, or trusted positions; roles requiring completed technical or higher education; and purely manual or unskilled activities that do not allow structured learning. The Ministry of Labor uses the Brazilian Classification of Occupations (CBO) to define which positions are included in the calculation base.
How to Hire? The process is simple and follows a few rules:
- The contract is formal, with a signed employment record.
- Working hours must not interfere with school studies.
- For those who have not completed elementary school: maximum of 6 hours per day.
- For those who have completed it: up to 8 hours per day, including time for theoretical classes.
- The company can hire directly or through training institutions such as SENAI, SENAC, CIEE, among others.
Penalties for Non-Compliance Ignoring this obligation can be costly:
- Administrative fine imposed by labor inspection.
- Legal action brought by the Public Labor Ministry.
- Prohibition from participating in public bids. In other words, not hiring apprentices when required by law is not an option.
Conclusion: Hiring Young Apprentices is not just about complying with the law — it is about investing in the future, training professionals, and contributing to the development of society. So, is your company already fulfilling this obligation? If not, the time to act is now! Count on ORGATEC for this and other matters.