As a small business owner, you must adhere to the labor laws. Breaks in the law can set you up for expensive lawsuits. For example, if you hire teenagers to work at your fast food joint, they are only allowed to works so many hours after school; if school is in session, you are only suppose to work them eighteen hours per week. Even during summer vacation or school breaks, a minor should only work 40 hours per week-no more. Another example of labor laws are employee breaks. As an employer, you must give your workers so many minutes for a break, in a given period. Although labor laws are meant to look out for the rights of employees, they also protect the employer from frivolous lawsuits.