Having high school interns in the lab can be a valuable experience for both the high schoolers and for the graduate students and postdocs who mentor them. However, there are some specific concerns associated with working with people under the age of 18. Exact rules vary by location (city, state, federal laws) and by University, but below are some general concepts to be aware of when inviting people under 18 into your lab.

Permits

Most municipalities require underage workers to obtain a work permit. The process involves multiple steps. In the first, the high school student obtains and completes most sections of a work permit application from their high school. They then send the application to you to complete the employer portions and return the application to them to return to their high school. The school reviews the application and (hopefully) issues the work permit. Work permits should be presented to HR during hiring.

Background Check

Many universities also require people mentoring individuals under 18 to complete a background check. This applies to the PI as well as the postdocs, graduate students, and staff who will be working directly with the student. The process involves a questionnaire and fingerprinting. It is usually quick, but must be done before the student starts on site. Your HR office can link you to local services. 

Training

Finally, most universities require completion of one or a series of online training courses to be fully in compliance to work with minors. These inform the mentor of their rights and responsibilities, particularly those connected with mandatory reporting for underage workers. Like many online trainings, they can be a bit dry, but the information contained is important, so you should bookmark any specific resources linked to by the training.

It is important from a liability perspective (as well as being a responsible mentor) to make sure that the student is trained in all the techniques that they will be performing, and that they understand the risks of all the chemicals and reagents that they will be using. Check with your university, as in many locations individuals under 18 are restricted from using certain reagents, biologicals, and amounts and types of radioactivity.