The increasing number of employment contracts concluded with minors in recent years, as well as the large number of violations of the labor rights of employees under the age of eighteen, require a careful analysis of the provisions of Russian labor legislation in this area. The article analyzes some of the restrictions and prohibitions imposed by the legislator on the employment of minors. The author proposes measures to clarify the concepts used in labor legislation in cases where the employment of minors is prohibited or restricted. The article also describes certain special measures for the protection of minors' labor rights when they enter into employment contracts and during their work, and formulates and proposes ways to strengthen these measures through legislation. In particular, the author pays special attention to the specifics of medical examinations for minors and the provision of annual paid vacations to minors.