Connecticut Minors and Understanding the Legal Working Age

Work Rules for Minors

The laws regarding work for minors are broadly applicable and widely important. Generally, these laws help protect young workers from employment that is considered hazardous. Federal law includes the Fair Labor Standards Act, which sets standards for minimum wage and overtime pay, workplace discrimination, recordkeeping , and youth employment. The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) enforces the child labor provisions that restrict the hours and types of jobs that minors can perform at work. Connecticut has similar laws protecting minors in the workplace and limiting their working hours.
Connecticut law sets a specific legal working age. Minors are prohibited from working for more than eight hours a day or more than 48 hours a week. The legal working age established under Connecticut law is 16. However, minors are able to work in a variety of jobs at ages 12 and 13 as long as they work under restrictions. When employing minors, it is important to comply with state and federal laws on working hours and permitted work.

Connecticut Legal Working Age

Connecticut law requires all minors to obtain employment certificates before beginning work. Employment certificates are issued for specific jobs only. The certificate is valid only when the minor is employed and working for the same employer for whom it was issued. It is invalidated automatically when the minor changes jobs or employers, even though the minor may continue working in Connecticut. If a minor is terminated or quits improperly, the certificate is invalid as of the last date the minor worked.
The Commissioner of Education and the Labor Commissioner jointly issue working papers for minors age 14 through 17. Both have forms for your use; check with your local school district Superintendent’s office for its form and rules. The district form may be shorter and more manageable. For details, see Conn. Gen. Stat. § 31-23.
However, students in grades 9 to 12, (age 14-17) are permitted to work for their own educational institution without an employment certificate. By state law, school districts must issue work cards for high school students when the school is in session.
The work cards do not require a doctor’s note but the student must have an offer of a job proposed by the employer. The work cards do not expire during the school year. The working time limits for these students are the same as for minors age 14 and 15—no work before 7 a.m., no work after 7 p.m., and no work on school days—all according to the employment certificate. Summer and school vacation employment must comply with Connecticut child labor laws.
Employers are required to retain original employment certificates at the location where the minor works. Certificates should be retained for at least three months after the minor discontinues employment. Instead of an employment certificate, employers may request the student’s work card from high schools.
Children may enter employment at age 13 in Connecticut, with parental consent. Parental consent is required for ages 13 through 17 if the job is outside of the school district during the school year, where the youth lives.
The age requirement for employment varies by industry. Minors may not legally employ themselves in any establishment or occupation that presents them with hazardous, unsafe, or unhealthy working conditions or dangers. For minors age 13 or older, with parental consent, there are restrictions on the hours of work and type of work. These industries are not limited to students.
Minors working on a farm owned or operated by their parents do not require work permits. In Connecticut, "working on a farm" means working as an employee on land actively used for agricultural, commercial, or horticultural production, or the processing and distribution of products on the farm. The definition also includes restaurants, markets, and retail operations, but excludes business offices.
Federal law imposes different working conditions for youths in workplaces covered by the Fair Labor Standards Act. Minors 14 and 15 years of age may not be employed for more than 3 hours on any day school is in session, including Fridays and weekends. They may not work more than 18 hours per week in the school week.

Permissible Work Hours for Minor Workers

In Connecticut, 14- and 15-year old minors may work only between 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m., but never more than 3 hours per day on school days and never more than 18 hours in a week if school is in session. An exception exists for 15-year old workers who are employed in certain agricultural occupations. 16- and 17-year old minors may work between 6:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m., and may work until midnight on Fridays and Saturdays during the school year, provided that such employees do not work more than eight hours on any day or 48 hours in any week. 16- and 17-year old minors may work between 6:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. when school is not in session. 15-year old minors are not permitted to work more than six days per week.
During the summer months (non-school days) work hour restrictions are more relaxed than during the school year: 14- and 15-year old minors may work between 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. and no more than eight hours per day or 40 hours per week; 16- and 17-year old minors may work between 6:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. (except that for 17-year old employees, employment in some occupations may extend to later than 10:00 p.m.) and no more than eight hours per day or 48 hours per week. Sixteen- and 17-year old minors are allowed to work until midnight on summer weekdays.
A minor’s parent or guardian must certify that the minor is physically fit for the type of work sought and that the employer is capable of providing supervision, guidance and protection of health and welfare to the minor worker. Employers should be aware that there is no state form for making this certification, although several schools provide them.
Clearance certificates are required from the labor department for all minors under the age of 18. Connecticut law identifies the occupations in which minors are permitted to work. The law also requires employers to obtain from each minor employed a work permit.

Connecticut Minors: Types of Work and Employment

In Connecticut, minors have the opportunity to participate in a variety of employment opportunities. However, the types of jobs available to minors are highly regulated so as to safeguard their safety and education. The type of employment Connecticut minors may perform depends not only on their age, but also on the nature of the work itself. Minors who are 14 years of age or older may accept employment in a school during school vacation, outside school hours on Fridays and when school is not in session on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays. As provided under Conn. Gen. Stat. §31-18a, minors under 16 years of age are prohibited from performing certain types of work. This includes work in manufacturing, mining or on any construction site or yard, such as manufacturing equipment or building materials. It also includes employment related to the operation of most hazardous machinery. Specifically excluded is employment in agriculture, working at a retail store, restaurant, bank or hotel, delivering newspapers and babysitting. As further provided under Conn. Gen. Stat. §31-22: "In determing whether employment of minors in occupations other than those above described shall be prohibited…. the miminal shall consider (1) the degree of risk from any physical hazard, in light of the degree of danger to public safety, (2) the degree of hazard to health, (3) the nature and extent of the process, operation or condition involved in such occupation, and (4) such other conditions as ought reasonably be considered" Conn. Gen. Stat. §31-22(a). With respect to 15 year-old minors, the law prohibits employment in connection with "power driven hoisting apparatus unless it is closely supervised by a person of at least eighteen years of age." Conn. Gen. Stat. §31-23(c)

Work Permits and Certification for Minors

Once a minor has reached employment age, they will most likely need to obtain a work permit from their school. Minors aged 16 to 17 only need to obtain this certification the first time they work. For minors 14 to 15 years of age, the work permit must be renewed at the time they gain new employment, which is something that employers do not always deem necessary. Parents or legal guardians often obtain this document on behalf of their children and school officials possessing the proper credentials are responsible for issuing these permits.
There are two places where Connecticut employers and parents can obtain work permits for minors:
The employee hiring department manager will be responsible for properly advising the employee on what work permits are needed prior to employment. In some cases , permits must be acquired by the parent and not by the manager.
Since school officials are responsible for issuing work permits in Connecticut, parents should bring all necessary documentation for employment to the school official, who is usually the principal or school official. The school official will gather all information about the minor and will instruct both the parent and minor on what additional documents may be needed.
Once the school official has obtained all necessary documents, they should list them on the work permit application and provide the minor with the form. The parent must then review the form to ensure that the information is accurate and sign the form to grant permission for the minor to work. Finally, the minor takes the completed work permit to the employee hiring department manager.

Minor Labor Law Violations and Consequences

Understanding the legal working age in Connecticut is essential for employers, as well as unemployed minors considering a first job. While it helps protect the workforce as a whole, it also allows businesses to understand their responsibilities and liabilities concerning labor laws in Connecticut.
If a court order is violated in regard to hiring minors, the employer or transferee may be found in criminal contempt and punished by a fine of up to five hundred dollars. Connecticut labor laws provide for civil penalties that are not to exceed forty-one thousand dollars for a corporation or two hundred fifty thousand dollars for a person, including every director or officer of the corporation, to be apportioned among the violators, if the Connecticut Department of Labor determines that the corporation has violated the permissible hours of employment.
Additionally, the Connecticut Commissioner of Labor is to suspend all permits and certificates of minors who violate hours of work until the minor is reinstated by an employer, with the approval of the Commissioner of Labor and payment of a late fee of two dollars. Permits and certificates of the minor may be revoked or suspended for a fixed period of at least three months if the minor violates any of the provisions of employment laws in Connecticut. It is a defense to this crime if the employer can show on appeal that any of the four elements are met:
The burden of proof falls on the state to show that the alleged employer has no valid defense, which may be difficult where the minor has claimed misrepresentation or deception.

Recent Connecticut Labor Law Changes and Updates

With a large portion of the state’s workforce made up of minors, who were between the ages of 16 and 24, Connecticut has always had strict regulations and requirements for minors in the workplace. Given that, it is not surprising that the legislature recently made changes to its laws concerning minors. These changes are meant to not only protect workers, but to also allow employers to have a large pool of qualified workers.
In the past, minors between the ages of 14 and 15 could work under child labor regulations and be employed in non-agricultural jobs. An amendment to C.G.S. § 31-23(f) now provides that minors under the age of 15 can work only in limited jobs. These jobs include the following:
The above-listed positions must be supervised by an adult who is at least 18 years or a person who has received training on off-premise jobs for minors. There are certain occupations that are considered quasi off-premise jobs, such as costumed mascots, revenue shirt salespersons or non-construction window washers, which do not require an adult supervisor directly present.
In addition to the above restrictions, minors under the age of 15 are now required to have a signed parent consent form before they can legally commence employment . In order to obtain the necessary parent consent, employers will need to provide a detailed employment plan, which may include a pay and work schedule, as well as the duties and responsibilities of the minor’s position. Also, employees or parents, as the minor’s representative, must have the opportunity to discuss the employment plan with the minor prior to the execution of the consent. Electronic signatures are permissible to satisfy the parent consent requirement.
Once the consent form is in place, employers should maintain it on record until either the minor reaches the age of 18, the employment ends, or a date specified in the form has passed. Failure to comply with any of the aforementioned requirements can lead to civil litigation with the Connecticut Department of Labor’s Wage and Workplace Standards Division. For example, an employer found to be in violation of child labor laws up to three times per year can result in a fine of $300 for each violation, and could also lead to an employee’s legal fees for the minor to bring a civil lawsuit against them. In response to a violation, the Division may also issue a delay of wage payment for the minor. Therefore, it is very important that employers ensure they understand and adhere to all child labor laws and regulations.