Minimum Age to Work
The minimum age for employment in Connecticut depends on the type of work the child is permitted to perform, as outlined under section 31-23 of the state General Statutes. These regulations outline that the minimum age for clerical, technical, and office work is 14 years old. For non-hazardous agricultural jobs, the minimum age is also 14 years. For the performance of non-farm work, however , the minimum age is 16 years. If a minor is employed as an actor or performer, sexual predator laws regulate the minimum age so long as they are accompanied by a supervising adult. Lastly, any person under 18 years of age needs to receive working papers and has strict limitations on their hours of work, including limitations on working while school is in session and a total cap on weekly hours.
Work Restrictions
Under federal law, workers under 14 years of age are prohibited from working in many occupations. The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) prohibits employment of minors under 14 in the following occupations: Those working in occupations that require using or being in rooms or areas where:
Minors 14-15 years of age may work in occupations not prohibited under the FLSA, but are restricted in the number of hours and times that they can work. They are also prohibited from working in any occupation that the labor commissioner has prohibited after hearing as dangerous to their life and health. For 14-15 year olds, when school is in session, no more than 18 hours of work may be per week, and no more than 3 hours per day on school days; no more than 8 hours per day on non-school days, and from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. on any day. When school is not in session, minors can work a maximum of 40 hours per week and 8 hours a day, but still between the hours of 7 a.m. and 10 p.m.
While federal law prohibits child labor in hazardous occupations, Connecticut statutes go further by prohibiting the employment of minors in any occupation that endangers the health or morals of minors. A youth 16 or 17 years old is not permitted, for example, to work as an elevator operator or in a room occupied by more than two slot machines. There are many other occupations such as these, where minors are prohibited from working.
Also under Connecticut law, minors under the age of 18 are prohibited from working in any occupation that the labor commissioner has prohibited after a hearing. An employer that allows minors to work in any occupation that has been prohibited is subject to a penalty of not more than $150 for each such violation.
Worker’s Permit
The employer must complete a new Employer Certificate for each minor hired. In the event of a job change or transfer, a new Employer Certificate must be completed. An employer must also complete the Connecticut Department of Labor (DOL) Form WH-12 before the minor can begin working. For minors under the age of 16, the Work Permit Application for Minors must be completed and filed with the DOL within 15 days of a minor’s employment. The Work Permit Application for Minors must be signed by the minor, his/her parent and the minor’s employer. The employer must provide the Work Permit Application for Minors along with the work certificate to the local school district office where the minor resides and thereafter, the school district office will issue a CT DOL work permit. For minors over the age of 16, the Co-Employment Certification for Minors must be submitted to the local school district office within 15 days of a minor’s employment.
Exemptions and Special Cases
However, not all youth are ineligible to work. Minors who are at least 13 years of age can be employed by their parent(s) or guardian(s) without a work permit when the work is undertaken in a home environment and does not require substantial physical exertion. There is no limit on the number of hours they can work as long as the work is performed for the parent(s) or guardian(s) and not an outside employer.
Additionally, minors who are age 18 and older are free to work without parent or agency consent. And there are other exceptions. Minors under 14 years of age can work as newspaper carriers, household services workers, and baby sitters (with few restrictions), as well as being involved in the entertainment (including acting and modeling), printing, agricultural, and golf caddying industries .
Anyone under the age of 18 is also prohibited from working in "hazardous occupations," which have been prohibited by regulation due to identified safety risks. This includes operating power-driven machinery, motor vehicles, mining, roofing, trenching, and the use of explosives, among others. See, e.g., Conn. Agencies Reg., Secs. 31-23-1 and -2.
Connecticut employers hiring any minor aged 13 to 17 are required by law to maintain evidence of the minor’s age and parental consent (in the form of either a work permit or letter from the minor’s parent(s) or legal guardian(s)). The only industries exempt from this law are the agricultural and golf caddy industries. See Conn. Gen. Stat., Sec. 31-18(b). Such evidence must be available for inspection by federal, state, and local labor officials. Failing to have this documentation readily available is one way employers can get in trouble.
Fines and Punishments
As with most wage and hour penalties, the Connecticut General Assembly has mandated that the executing agency can impose a fine in an amount not to exceed $300 per violation, for knowingly employing an underage employee. In addition, it has established that a parent, firm, or corporation willfully violating the law requires the payment of double the amount that should have been paid in wages to the employee. However, these violations only occur if the employer absolutely should not have violated the law due to obvious, open, and notorious signs explaining the child labor laws. Generally, supervisory employees involved in hiring or discipline of employees also are deemed liable for violations the same as the employer, and unless they have to nullify the employment of the minor child within 72 hours of their knowledge of the violation, they can be personally liable for the wages which had not been paid. From past federal labor law experience, it appears that the imposition of personal responsibility for supervisors is rare.
Help and Assistance
Minors and employers can find valuable resources and support at the Connecticut Department of Labor (CTDOL) and the U.S. Department of Labor. The CTDOL provides information on posting the required minimum wage and other employee notices related to their rights, current laws and hourly wage and payment laws for employers , and more. Employers and employees can also use the CTDOL website to file wage complaints and search for available jobs through its job opening search tool.
Employers and minors with labor issues or questions can also seek counsel through Connecticut employment attorneys. Consultation with an informed employment attorney can help you learn the law in Connecticut, your rights, and additional legal information and resources.