From the Legal Hotline

By Teri Henning, General Counsel; Melissa Melewsky, Media Law Counsel
Pennsylvania Newspaper Association

Q: I’d like to hire a promising journalist who is still a student in high school. She is 18 but has not graduated yet. Do I need to get her parents to co-sign her employment contract?

A: No, her parents do not need to co-sign the employment contract.

Individuals who are 18 or over have the legal capacity to enter into a contract without parental consent regardless of their educational status. If the journalist chooses to bring an attorney or other representative to the negotiating table, you should include them in the discussion. However, only the journalist is required to agree to the terms of employment and sign the contract.

PNA Legal Hotline: (717) 703-3080

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