What is the minimum age to work as a youth sports referee in Tennessee?

14 (under 14: parents, farm, newspaper, errand/delivery, self-employed, entertainers) Act does not apply to self-employed minors (T.C.A. 50-5-107) - relevant to bona fide 1099 officials, but misclassification risk remains; parent-employed, HS grads exempt; no referee-specific carve-out. State law keys on 'employ/permit to work' - no 1099 carve-out; misclassifying minor officials as contractors does not avoid child-labor rules.

When is a final paycheck due in Tennessee if you let someone go?

Next regular payday or within 21 days, whichever later No liquidated-damages statute. PTO per policy.

How does Tennessee decide whether a coach or referee is a 1099 contractor or an employee?

Common law / right to control (no state MW law); Tenn. Code 50-2-111 adopts IRS 20-factor for wage regulation

Does a youth sports league in Tennessee need workers' compensation for 1099 referees and coaches?

Tennessee's act covers employees only; independent contractors are excluded. Tenn. Code 50-6-102(12)(A) defines "employee," and 50-6-102(12)(D)(i) sets a statutory seven-factor test: right to control the conduct of the work, right of termination, method of payment, freedom to select and hire helpers, furnishing of tools and equipment, self-scheduling of hours, and freedom to offer services to others. Right to control is the dominant factor. UI uses the IRS 20-factor test (50-7-207(e)). There is no general waiver or certificate of exemption; the registered exemption under 50-6-901 et seq. is for construction service providers only. Sole proprietors and partners are outside the act unless they elect coverage (50-6-102(12)(B)). Employers with fewer than five employees are exempt (50-6-106). Tennessee has a statutory-employer rule: a principal contractor is liable for injuries to a subcontractor's employees to the same extent as the immediate employer (50-6-113), so a league contracting out work that is part of its business cannot assume uninsured contractors are its problem alone. No express exclusion of sports officials from WC or UI was found; NASO lists no Tennessee statute. Bottom line: a league with five or more employees is not covering true 1099 referees and coaches, but officials assigned, scheduled and paid per game by the league score poorly on several of the seven factors and are at risk of being treated as covered employees.

For youth sports organizations and event operators · Tennessee rulebook

Youth sports labor rules in Tennessee: who can you put in the game, and what do you owe them?

State rules for everyone a youth sports organization pays: coaches and trainers on payroll, officials and event staff on 1099, program and front-office staff, and the teenagers you hire for a season. Wages, final pay, minors, contractor status, workers' comp, safe sport and youth safety, 50 states + DC, checked against statute text.

Last reviewed Oct 1, 202651 jurisdictions · 32 rules each

Step 1

Pick the state where the work happens

Rules follow where people work, not where you are based. Running an event? Use the event state. Operating a club or league? Use the state where your staff coach, officiate and work.

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Set a role, age and pay type below to see which rules apply to your organization.

Step 2

Check a staffing plan

Tell us who you are paying, how old they are, and whether they are on payroll or 1099. We rank what applies.

State where the work happens

Role

Worker age

Paid as

Not sure if someone should be 1099 or on payroll?Answer 5 plain-English questions. We explain the sticking points in your state.5-question check

Tourney Direct does not decide classification. Confirm with a tax advisor or attorney before you onboard anyone as a contractor.

Step 3

Everything on file for Tennessee

All 32 rules for this state, with the statutes and agency pages they came from.

Wages and pay
Minimum wage (2026): $7.25 (federal; no state law)
Required pay frequency: Semi-monthly
Final paycheck if you let them go: Next regular payday or within 21 days, whichever later
Final paycheck if they quit: Same as fired
Final-pay penalties: No liquidated-damages statute. PTO per policy.
State income tax withholding: No
Workers' comp required at: 5+
New-hire report due (days): 20
Minors
Minimum working age: 14 (under 14: parents, farm, newspaper, errand/delivery, self-employed, entertainers)
Work permit: No (employer keeps proof of age; 16-17 school-hours work needs school documentation)
Ages 14 to 15, school in session: 3 hrs/school day, 18 hrs/wk; 7am-7pm
Ages 14 to 15, summer and breaks: 8 hrs/day, 40 hrs/wk; 7am-9pm before non-school days (to 6am)
Ages 16 to 17: No daily/weekly cap; no work 10pm-6am Sun-Thu before school days (midnight with parental permission up to 3 nights/wk)
Weekend and evening games: No curfew Fri/Sat for 16-17; TN gives 14-15 9pm before ANY non-school day (state) but FLSA 7pm applies in school year
Referee, coach and recreation exemptions: Act does not apply to self-employed minors (T.C.A. 50-5-107) - relevant to bona fide 1099 officials, but misclassification risk remains; parent-employed, HS grads exempt; no referee-specific carve-out. State law keys on 'employ/permit to work' - no 1099 carve-out; misclassifying minor officials as contractors does not avoid child-labor rules.
Contractors and leave
How this state decides 1099 vs. payroll: Common law / right to control (no state MW law); Tenn. Code 50-2-111 adopts IRS 20-factor for wage regulation
Same question, for unemployment insurance: IRS 20-factor (Tenn. Code 50-7-207(e), 2020 SB 2181 replaced ABC)
Referee-specific rule: None found (no officials-specific statute; general tests apply)
Workers' comp for 1099 referees and coaches: Tennessee's act covers employees only; independent contractors are excluded. Tenn. Code 50-6-102(12)(A) defines "employee," and 50-6-102(12)(D)(i) sets a statutory seven-factor test: right to control the conduct of the work, right of termination, method of payment, freedom to select and hire helpers, furnishing of tools and equipment, self-scheduling of hours, and freedom to offer services to others. Right to control is the dominant factor. UI uses the IRS 20-factor test (50-7-207(e)). There is no general waiver or certificate of exemption; the registered exemption under 50-6-901 et seq. is for construction service providers only. Sole proprietors and partners are outside the act unless they elect coverage (50-6-102(12)(B)). Employers with fewer than five employees are exempt (50-6-106). Tennessee has a statutory-employer rule: a principal contractor is liable for injuries to a subcontractor's employees to the same extent as the immediate employer (50-6-113), so a league contracting out work that is part of its business cannot assume uninsured contractors are its problem alone. No express exclusion of sports officials from WC or UI was found; NASO lists no Tennessee statute. Bottom line: a league with five or more employees is not covering true 1099 referees and coaches, but officials assigned, scheduled and paid per game by the league score poorly on several of the seven factors and are at risk of being treated as covered employees.
Seasonal or recreation carve-out: No state MW/OT; FLSA applies
Paid sick leave: No
Paid family and medical leave: Voluntary (Tenn. Code 56-7-3401 PFL insurance product)
What it costs to get it wrong: Tenn. Code 50-6-101? WC misclassification penalties up to $1,000/day (construction)
Safety
Background checks: None statewide for private leagues, T.C.A. §38-6-109 permits TBI checks for youth-serving orgs. Safe Stars Act (SB 1259, 2021) requires background checks/fingerprinting only for public-school and charter coaches (incl. volunteers); community-based youth athletic programs are only 'encouraged' to comply. No 2024 enactment mandating checks for youth leagues located (Little League 12/2025 and NCSI state surveys list no TN mandate; TRPA/NCSI program is voluntary). Check municipal/league policy.
Safe sport: state law: Tennessee has a youth sports safety law but not an abuse-prevention one. The Safe Stars Act (T.C.A. 49-6-3601, 2021 Pub. Ch., expanded by HB 1410 in 2023, effective 2023-24 school year) requires LEAs and public charter schools, and private schools using state or county property, to give youth athletes 14 and under coaches who annually complete concussion, sudden cardiac arrest, CPR/AED and heat-illness courses, adopt a coach code of conduct and emergency action plans, and run background checks (see background_check and coach_certification cells); community-based programs must only have one trained person present and are otherwise "encouraged" to comply. The statute contains no child-abuse or sexual-abuse prevention training, no two-adult, one-on-one, electronic-communication, locker-room or travel policy requirement, no parent information sheet, and no reference to the SafeSport Code or federal Act. Coach-specific crimes: sexual contact with a minor by an authority figure (T.C.A. 39-13-509) and statutory rape by an authority figure (39-13-532) cover anyone with supervisory power by occupational status, which includes coaches. Reporting is universal (37-1-403). No pending safe-sport bill located.
Safe sport: federal SafeSport Act and NGB rules: Nationally, the Safe Sport Act (36 U.S.C. 220541-220543, P.L. 115-126 of 2018 as amended by P.L. 116-189 of 2020) binds the USOPC, every national governing body and their member clubs and other amateur sports organizations in interstate or international competition to SafeSport Core training, MAAPP-style minor athlete protection policies, and reporting of suspected child abuse to law enforcement and the U.S. Center for SafeSport within 24 hours, regardless of state law. Tennessee's all-persons reporting law (T.C.A. 37-1-403, report immediately to DCS or law enforcement) is stricter in timing than the federal 24-hour clock. The Safe Stars Act layers injury-safety training on school-based programs but not abuse training, so NGB clubs (TN Soccer, USA Swimming, Little League) meet abuse-prevention duties only through SafeSport and NGB policy.
Concussion law: T.C.A. §68-55-501 to -503 (2013), schools AND youth athletic activities (community/recreational leagues that charge a fee); coaches/officials annual training (TDH); RTP clearance by licensed health-care provider.
Sudden cardiac arrest law: Yes: Safe Stars Act? / Sudden Cardiac Arrest Prevention Act, T.C.A. §68-6-101 to -104 (2015) covers schools AND community youth athletic activities: annual coach SCA education; T.C.A. §49-6-3601/3602 Safe Heart Act (schools).
CPR and AED: Schools: AED (T.C.A. §49-2-122). None for youth leagues (Safe Stars voluntary recognition).
Coaches as mandated reporters: All persons: T.C.A. §37-1-403.
Coach certification: TDH concussion + SCA training for youth coaches (T.C.A. §68-55-502, §68-6-103).
Assault-on-official law: No.

All states

Rulebook by state

Tennessee at a glance: minimum wage $7.25 (federal; no state law). Final paycheck when you let someone go: Next regular payday or within 21 days, whichever later. Minimum working age: 14 (under 14: parents, farm, newspaper, errand/delivery, self-employed, entertainers). Background checks for youth sports: None statewide for private leagues, T.C.A. §38-6-109 permits TBI checks for youth-serving orgs. Safe Stars Act (SB 1259, 2021) requires background checks/fingerprinting only for public-school and charter coaches (incl. volunteers); community-based youth athletic programs are only 'encouraged' to comply. No 2024 enactment mandating checks for youth leagues located (Little League 12/2025 and NCSI state surveys list no TN mandate; TRPA/NCSI program is voluntary). Check municipal/league policy.