Part-time Jobs for Students: Minimum Age, Type of Contract, and When Social Security Contributions Are Due

Quick Overview

• You can generally start a part-time job after turning 15; at age 14, this is only possible during summer vacation.
• For typical student part-time jobs, a DPP or DPČ contract is most commonly used, and these must be concluded in writing.
• Minors under the age of 18 are not allowed to perform hazardous work, work overtime, or work at night, except for narrow legal exceptions.
• For DPP contracts, social security contributions apply to monthly income of 12,000 CZK or more starting in 2026; for DPČ contracts, they generally apply to monthly income of 4,500 CZK or more.
• Working part-time without a contract isn’t worth it, because it makes it harder to prove your right to compensation and the employer’s liability in the event of an accident.

Before signing the agreement, it’s a good idea to check that it includes the type of work, pay, scope of work, and duration. If you’re unsure, you can have your part-time contract reviewed by our attorney online.

Part-Time Work Starting at Age 14

To be eligible for part-time work at age 14, you must meet two basic requirements:

• The work must be light
• and the work must take place during summer vacation.

Written parental consent and an initial medical examination are required. Shifts may not exceed 7 hours per day (35 hours per week), and work must end no later than 8:00 p.m.

Typical permitted part-time jobs for this age group include:

• Fruit picking and light gardening assistance
• Delivering flyers or newspapers
• Back-of-house work (e.g., restocking merchandise in stores or cleaning)
• Helping out at events (e.g., sports camps or festivals where alcohol is not sold).

The only exception to this rule is artistic, cultural, advertising, or sports-related work. However,permission from the employment office is required for such work. Furthermore, it is limited to 20 hours per week and must not interfere with school classes.

Summer Part-Time Jobs: What Kind of Contract Should You Sign?

The most common options for summer part-time jobs are an agreement to perform work (DPP) or an agreement on work activity (DPČ). The DPP has a limit of 300 hours per year, which is ideal for a summer job. The DPČ is typically used for longer-term employment.

Before signing, read each contract thoroughly and make sure it includes all the essential details. You can easily find a template for an agreement on work activities online.

Be aware, however, that a template downloaded from the internet may not apply to your specific situation. For student part-time jobs, we recommend checking especially the pay, scope of work, termination of the agreement, liability for damages, and any deductions from wages. If you don’t understand the contract or see unclear obligations in it, have it reviewed before signing.

From our experience, we know that students often sign DPPs or DPČs without reading them, because it’s “just a part-time job.” However, it is precisely with these part-time jobs that disputes frequently arise over unpaid wages, ambiguously agreed-upon shifts, deductions for damages, or termination of the arrangement overnight. The biggest problem is usually that the agreement is written too generally, and the student realizes too late that they don’t have proper documentation of what they agreed upon with the employer.

What 15-Year-Olds Can and Cannot Do in Part-Time Jobs

Although a person turns 15 and has completed their schooling, they are still protected by a law that takes into account their mental and physical immaturity. Young part-time workers—that is, those under the age of 18—are therefore subject to more restrictions at work than adult employees. These restrictions include:

Inappropriateness, Danger, and Harm

Juvenile workers may only be assigned work that is not unreasonable, dangerous, or harmful to them. They may not, therefore, perform work that would expose them or others to an increased risk of injury or work that poses a risk of occupational disease.

In addition, they are not permitted to carry heavy loads. Certain types of work are also expressly prohibited. These include , for example, mining work, work with explosives, work on high-voltage electrical equipment, work at heights above 1.5 m, and so on. Exceptions are made in cases where minors are preparing for their future professions. They may therefore perform this type of work if it is part of their practical training while attending high school or vocational school and they are under constant professional supervision.

Working Hours

For minors, the length and nature of working hours are also restricted. Minor employees may not work night shifts or overtime. The only exception is, again, preparation for future employment. In this case, they are permitted to work 1 hour at night.

Furthermore , after 4.5 hours of work, minors are entitled to a break of at least 30 minutes. Minors are also entitled to an uninterrupted rest period of at least 48 hours each week.

Alcohol and Money

Minors are not allowed to work with alcohol, including, for example, serving at a stand at a swimming pool where beer is sold. Minors may handle money, but an employer cannot require them to sign a financial liability agreement. Therefore, in the event of a cash shortage, they are not responsible for covering it.

The most common mistake made by teenage part-time workers is that they allow themselves to be persuaded to do things that “everyone else is doing,” even though those activities may not be permitted for them. Typically, this involves handling alcohol, working in hazardous environments, or signing documents assuming financial liability. For minors, it’s always a good idea to ask not only about the pay rate but also about the specific job duties.

If an employer asks you to sign a liability agreement for shortages, wage deductions, or any other document you don’t understand, don’t sign it automatically. You need to be especially careful with teenage part-time workers, because there are certain obligations an employer cannot legally impose on them. We’d be happy to advise you.

Part-Time Employment Contracts – DPP and DPČ

If you’re planning to take on a part-time job, you’ll likely encounter one of the following contracts. So let’s take a look at how they differ and what their advantages and disadvantages are.

Agreement on the Performance of Work (DPP)

For a short-term summer job, you’re more likely to encounter a DPP contract. Its duration is limited to 300 hours, which is likely more than enough for the summer. It’s also more advantageous in terms of mandatory social security and health insurance contributions. These are only deducted if your monthly earnings exceed 12,000 crowns. Otherwise, insurance premiums are deducted—pension contributions amount to 4.5 percent of your total earnings, and social insurance contributions amount to 6.5 percent.

As for the taxation of work performance agreements, you, as students, do not pay taxes. However, this applies only if you have signed the so-called “pink tax declaration” and only if your earnings do not exceed 12,000 crowns. Otherwise, a 15% tax is withheld from your pay.

Agreement on Work Activity (DPČ)

You’re more likely to encounter an agreement on work activity in the case of longer-term part-time jobs or if you’ve reached the 300-hour limit for a DPP with a single employer. This is because a DPČ is limited to a maximum of 20 hours of work per week. This is an average, so you might work 40 hours one week and none at all the next.

For a DPČ, the decisive income is used to determine eligibility for health and pension insurance. In 2026, the general decisive amount is 4,500 CZK. If your agreed-upon or actual income reaches this threshold, social security and health insurance contributions will apply. Therefore, when reviewing your contract, pay attention not only to the hourly rate but also to the expected scope of work.

Even with a DPČ, it’s worth filing a taxpayer declaration. If you sign it with that employer, the basic taxpayer deduction may be applied when calculating your tax. However, the student deduction can no longer be claimed as of 2024. If you work for multiple employers at the same time, you can only have the tax declaration signed by one of them for the same period.

Part-time work for those 15 and older without a contract

Both a contract for work and a contract for services must always be in writing and must include the following basic information:

1. Identification details of the employee and employer: First name, last name, date of birth, permanent address.
2. Description of the agreed-upon work: Its nature, the specific tasks it entails, etc.
3. Term of the agreement: In the case of such agreements, the term is often indefinite.
4. Agreed compensation: An hourly wage is usually specified.

In practice, the same scenario often plays out for work without a contract: the student performs the work, but when it comes time to pay, the employer claims they agreed on a different amount, or that the compensation is not due because of an alleged error. Without a written agreement, time sheets, emails, or messages, it is significantly more difficult to prove your claim.

Always sign only contracts that contain all essential information and do not include unreasonable obligations. At the same time, never accept a part-time job without a contract—that is, “off the books.” While you might get paid in cash without having to pay taxes or insurance, such work may not be worth it at all. A contract is there to protect you.

Without a contract, your employer could ultimately tell you that they won’t pay you anything. And at that point, you’ll have no way to defend yourself. That’s because there’s no evidence that you actually performed the work. Likewise, you won’t be entitled to compensation in the event of a work-related injury. On top of that, you could also face a fine. That’s why a part-time job without a contract really isn’t worth it.

Do you suspect that your employer is offering you an off-the-books job or forcing you to sign an unfavorable agreement? Contact us. We’ll help you assess whether the contract is valid and advise you on how to proceed if you’ve already done the work and your employer refuses to pay.

Summer Jobs for Students

To wrap things up, here are some tips on where to look for part-time jobs for students—not just for the summer. First and foremost, it’s a good idea to ask friends or family members. You’ll often find something this way, and you’ll be more likely to be satisfied with the job.

You can also search on various online job portals such as Jobs.cz, Fajn-brigady.cz, or Prace.cz. You can look for opportunities in Facebook groups that post job listings, or you can try asking in person at the workplace itself.

If you speak a foreign language, you can also look abroad. There, young people are often sought after for summer jobs in hotels, the hospitality industry, or as lifeguards or nannies. This type of work will not only earn you money but also provide plenty of useful experience and opportunities to improve your language skills.

Many Czech agencies, such as Czech-us.cz or CoolAgent.cz, offer similar jobs. You can also search on international websites, such as SummerJobs.com or SeasonWorkers.com.

Summary

In 2026, you can generally start a part-time student job at age 15, but only after completing compulsory schooling (during summer break, students are allowed to work as early as age 14). Most often, you’ll sign a DPP or DPČ contract, which must be in writing and should clearly specify the type of work, duration, and pay. For a DPP, you must stay within the 300-hour annual limit, and for 2026, you must also stay below the 12,000 Kč threshold for insurance coverage. For a DPČ, the general threshold is 4,500 Kč. Minor employees have special protections; they may not perform hazardous work, work overtime, or work at night, with exceptions provided by law. Working a part-time job without a contract is risky because it makes it harder to claim wages, seek compensation for damages, or obtain protection in the event of a work-related injury.