Connecticut Child Labor Laws
- By Your mom
- •
- 05 Jul, 2012
Employment of Minors Generally
Connecticut law allows minors under the age of 18, who have graduated from high
school, to work in any occupation during the same hours as adults; however, such minors are not
exempt from federal employment prohibitions. Therefore, employers who are covered by both
state and federal law regulating the employment of minors must comply with the more stringent
provisions of the two sets of law.
Government Employees
Minors between the ages of 16 and 18 who are employees of the state or any political
subdivision thereof shall be paid not less than 85% of the minimum wage. Conn. Gen. Stat. §
31-58a.
Agricultural Employees
Minors between the ages of 14 and 18 who are agricultural employees shall be paid not
less than 85% of the minimum wage, except agricultural employees between the ages of 14 and
18 who are employed by employers who did not, during the preceding calendar year, employ 8
or more workers at the same time shall be paid not less than 70% of the minimum wage. Conn.
Gen. Stat. § 31-58a.
Other Employees
Minors under the age of 18 working in other industries may be paid 85% of the minimum
wage for the first 200 hours of employment, except for those working in institutional training
programs specifically exempted by the Connecticut Labor Commissioner. Conn. Gen. Stat. §
31-58(j) and Conn. Agencies Regs. §§ 31-60-6 to 8.
Proof of Age
Employers must retain the working papers/statements of age for each employee under the
age of 18 at the place of employment, unless the employer has written approval from the Labor
Commissioner. Conn. Gen. Stat. § 31-23(d).
Under 18
Prohibited Occupations
Under Connecticut law, anyone under the age of 18 is prohibited from working in the
following hazardous occupations, unless they have graduated from a secondary institution, or
written approval has been received by the employer from the Connecticut Labor Department.
These prohibitions do not apply to work study programs, apprentices in bona fide apprenticeship
courses, office workers and those not directly a part of, or in contact with, production operations
unless the occupations, as such, have been declared hazardous. Conn. Gen. Stat. §§ 31-23-25
and Conn. Agencies Regs. § 31-23-1.
Manufacturing and storage of explosives
Motor vehicle driving and outside helper
Mining
Logging and sawmilling
The use of electrical tools, circuits, or equipment (except double insulated hand tools)
Exposure to radioactive substances or ionization radiation
Power-driven hoisting apparatus
Power-driven metal-forming, punching or shearing machines
Slaughtering or meat packing, processing or rendering, including electric meat slicers.
Brick, tile, and kindred products manufacturing
Wrecking, demolition, and shipbreaking
Roofing operations
Excavation operations
Automotive maintenance and repair, EXCEPT (the following are permitted):
o island work
o changing passenger car tires (no truck tires or working under cars or in pits)
o use of air hand tools
o use of properly grounded electrical hand tools (no drill over ¼” diameter)
o preparing cars for painting, limited to sanding and masking (no spray painting or
welding)
o hand cleaning and washing of motor vehicles (no flammable liquids)
o clerical or bench work
Beverage bottling
Soldering, welding, brazing, smelting, rolling, flame cutting, or any other types of metal
processing
Brick, clay or tile manufacturing
Coke and tar products processing/manufacturing
Dry cleaning/laundry operations
Processing of food products
Construction, EXCEPT the following:
o Landscaping (planting small trees, shrubs, etc.)
o General yard work/cleaning (no riding reel lawn mowers)
o Brush painting & window cleaning (no ladders over 6 feet, no flammable
cleaners/thinners, etc.)
o Clerical/shipping/stock work
Glazing/glass cutting operations
Heat treating operations or helper
Ice manufacturing
Installation/maintenance/repair of electrical machinery/equipment
Paper/paper products/paperboard manufacturing
Plastic/plastic products manufacturing
Pharmaceutical products manufacturing
Operation of foot, hand or power presses
Printing operations
Pressure testing
Synthetic fiber manufacturing
Rubber/synthetic rubber products manufacturing/processing
Spray painting and dipping
Stone cutting and processing
Leather products processing/tanning
Sewing machine operation using needles over 1/16 inch diameter
Tire recapping, vulcanizing or manufacturing
Textile machinery operations
Trash/cardboard compactor
For more detail see Conn. Agencies Regs. § 31-23-1.
Time and Hour Restrictions for 16 and 17 Year Olds
The following time and hour restrictions do not apply to minors under the age of 18 who
have graduated from high school.
Minors under the age of 18, who are enrolled in, but have not yet graduated from high school
may only work during the following hours:
Restaurants - During school weeks:
6 a.m. to 11 p.m. (midnight if school vacation/not prior to a school day/not attending
school)
6 hours per day/32 hours per week
8 hours per day on Friday, Saturday, Sunday
Restaurants - During non - school weeks:
8 hours per day/48 hours per week
6 days per week
Recreational, Amusement, and Theater - During school weeks:
6 a.m. to 11 p.m. (midnight if school vacation/not prior to a school day/not attending
school)
6 hours per day/32 hours per week
8 hours per day on Friday, Saturday, Sunday
Recreational, Amusement, and Theater - During non-school weeks:
8 hours per day/48 hours per week
6 days per week
Manufacturing and Mechanical - During school weeks:
6 a.m. to 10 p.m. (11 p.m. if school vacation/not prior to a school day/not attending
school)
6 hours per day/32 hours per week
8 hours per day on Friday, Saturday, Sunday
Manufacturing and Mechanical - During non-school weeks:
8 hours per day/48 hours per week
6 days per week
Retail/Mercantile - During school weeks:
6 a.m. to 10 p.m. (11 p.m. if school vacation/not prior to a school day/not attending
school/ 12:00 midnight in a supermarket, if 3500 square feet, when no school the next
day)
6 hours per day/32 hours per week
8 hours per day on Friday, Saturday, Sunday
Retail/Mercantile - During non-school weeks:
8 hours per day/48 hours per week
6 days per week
Hairdressing, Bowling Alley, Pool Hall, or Photography Gallery - During school weeks:
6 a.m. to 10 p.m.
6 hours per day/32 hours per week
8 hours per day on Friday, Saturday, Sunday
Hairdressing, Bowling Alley, Pool Hall, or Photography Gallery - During non-school weeks:
8 hours per day/48 hours per week
6 days per week
Minors under the age of 18 who are not enrolled in and have not graduated from high school
may only work the following hours.
Retail/Mercantile:
8 hours per day/48 hours per week
6 days per week
Restaurant, Manufacturing, Mechanical, Recreation, Amusement, and Theater:
9 hours per day/48 hours per week
6 days per week
For all occupations, work experience as part of an approved educational plan will not be counted
towards permitted hourly limits.
Conn. Gen. Stat. §§ 31-12, 31-13, 31-14, 31-16 and 31-18.
14 and 15 Year Olds
Permitted Occupations
Under Connecticut law, 14 and 15 year olds are permitted to work in the following occupations:
Agriculture
Street trades (newspaper delivery, shoe shining, baby-sitting, etc.)
Hospitals (no food service or laundry)
Convalescent homes (no food service or laundry)
Hotels and motels (no food service or laundry)
Banks
Insurance companies
Professional offices (lawyers, CPAs, etc.)
Municipalities (library attendants, recreation departments, etc.)
Golf caddies
Acting
Household chores for private homeowners (yard work, etc.)
Licensed summer camps
Mercantile/solicitation –Minor must be at least 15 years old and may then be employed in
any mercantile establishment as a bagger, cashier, or stock clerk
Prohibited Occupations
Under Connecticut law, minors under the age of 16 are prohibited from working in the following
occupations.
Restaurant/food service
Recreational establishments
Manufacturing industries
Mechanical/service industries
Mercantile/solicitation –However minors who are at least 15 years old may be employed
in any mercantile establishment as a bagger, cashier, or stock clerk
Theatrical industry
Barber shops
Any other business types not listed on the Permitted Occupation list.
Conn. Gen. Stat. § 31-23(a).
These prohibitions may be lifted where authorized by the Labor Commissioner for
minors aged 14 and 15 who are enrolled in (1) a public school in a work-study program, or (2) a
summer work-recreation program sponsored by a town, city or borough or by a human resources
development agency, or (3) a vocational probation pursuant to an order of the Superior Court, or
(4) a vocational parole program by the Commissioner of Children and Families. Conn. Gen.
Stat. § 31-23(a).
Hours of Work
Even when 14 & 15 year-old minors are permitted to work they may not be employed:
During school hours.
Before 7 a.m. or after 7 p.m., except from July 1 to Labor Day, when evening hours are
extended to 9 p.m.
More than 3 hours per day on school days, or 8 hours on non-school days.
More than 18 hours a week in school weeks, or 40 hours in non-school weeks.
Conn. Gen. Stat. § 31-23(b).
Connecticut law allows minors under the age of 18, who have graduated from high
school, to work in any occupation during the same hours as adults; however, such minors are not
exempt from federal employment prohibitions. Therefore, employers who are covered by both
state and federal law regulating the employment of minors must comply with the more stringent
provisions of the two sets of law.
Government Employees
Minors between the ages of 16 and 18 who are employees of the state or any political
subdivision thereof shall be paid not less than 85% of the minimum wage. Conn. Gen. Stat. §
31-58a.
Agricultural Employees
Minors between the ages of 14 and 18 who are agricultural employees shall be paid not
less than 85% of the minimum wage, except agricultural employees between the ages of 14 and
18 who are employed by employers who did not, during the preceding calendar year, employ 8
or more workers at the same time shall be paid not less than 70% of the minimum wage. Conn.
Gen. Stat. § 31-58a.
Other Employees
Minors under the age of 18 working in other industries may be paid 85% of the minimum
wage for the first 200 hours of employment, except for those working in institutional training
programs specifically exempted by the Connecticut Labor Commissioner. Conn. Gen. Stat. §
31-58(j) and Conn. Agencies Regs. §§ 31-60-6 to 8.
Proof of Age
Employers must retain the working papers/statements of age for each employee under the
age of 18 at the place of employment, unless the employer has written approval from the Labor
Commissioner. Conn. Gen. Stat. § 31-23(d).
Under 18
Prohibited Occupations
Under Connecticut law, anyone under the age of 18 is prohibited from working in the
following hazardous occupations, unless they have graduated from a secondary institution, or
written approval has been received by the employer from the Connecticut Labor Department.
These prohibitions do not apply to work study programs, apprentices in bona fide apprenticeship
courses, office workers and those not directly a part of, or in contact with, production operations
unless the occupations, as such, have been declared hazardous. Conn. Gen. Stat. §§ 31-23-25
and Conn. Agencies Regs. § 31-23-1.
Manufacturing and storage of explosives
Motor vehicle driving and outside helper
Mining
Logging and sawmilling
The use of electrical tools, circuits, or equipment (except double insulated hand tools)
Exposure to radioactive substances or ionization radiation
Power-driven hoisting apparatus
Power-driven metal-forming, punching or shearing machines
Slaughtering or meat packing, processing or rendering, including electric meat slicers.
Brick, tile, and kindred products manufacturing
Wrecking, demolition, and shipbreaking
Roofing operations
Excavation operations
Automotive maintenance and repair, EXCEPT (the following are permitted):
o island work
o changing passenger car tires (no truck tires or working under cars or in pits)
o use of air hand tools
o use of properly grounded electrical hand tools (no drill over ¼” diameter)
o preparing cars for painting, limited to sanding and masking (no spray painting or
welding)
o hand cleaning and washing of motor vehicles (no flammable liquids)
o clerical or bench work
Beverage bottling
Soldering, welding, brazing, smelting, rolling, flame cutting, or any other types of metal
processing
Brick, clay or tile manufacturing
Coke and tar products processing/manufacturing
Dry cleaning/laundry operations
Processing of food products
Construction, EXCEPT the following:
o Landscaping (planting small trees, shrubs, etc.)
o General yard work/cleaning (no riding reel lawn mowers)
o Brush painting & window cleaning (no ladders over 6 feet, no flammable
cleaners/thinners, etc.)
o Clerical/shipping/stock work
Glazing/glass cutting operations
Heat treating operations or helper
Ice manufacturing
Installation/maintenance/repair of electrical machinery/equipment
Paper/paper products/paperboard manufacturing
Plastic/plastic products manufacturing
Pharmaceutical products manufacturing
Operation of foot, hand or power presses
Printing operations
Pressure testing
Synthetic fiber manufacturing
Rubber/synthetic rubber products manufacturing/processing
Spray painting and dipping
Stone cutting and processing
Leather products processing/tanning
Sewing machine operation using needles over 1/16 inch diameter
Tire recapping, vulcanizing or manufacturing
Textile machinery operations
Trash/cardboard compactor
For more detail see Conn. Agencies Regs. § 31-23-1.
Time and Hour Restrictions for 16 and 17 Year Olds
The following time and hour restrictions do not apply to minors under the age of 18 who
have graduated from high school.
Minors under the age of 18, who are enrolled in, but have not yet graduated from high school
may only work during the following hours:
Restaurants - During school weeks:
6 a.m. to 11 p.m. (midnight if school vacation/not prior to a school day/not attending
school)
6 hours per day/32 hours per week
8 hours per day on Friday, Saturday, Sunday
Restaurants - During non - school weeks:
8 hours per day/48 hours per week
6 days per week
Recreational, Amusement, and Theater - During school weeks:
6 a.m. to 11 p.m. (midnight if school vacation/not prior to a school day/not attending
school)
6 hours per day/32 hours per week
8 hours per day on Friday, Saturday, Sunday
Recreational, Amusement, and Theater - During non-school weeks:
8 hours per day/48 hours per week
6 days per week
Manufacturing and Mechanical - During school weeks:
6 a.m. to 10 p.m. (11 p.m. if school vacation/not prior to a school day/not attending
school)
6 hours per day/32 hours per week
8 hours per day on Friday, Saturday, Sunday
Manufacturing and Mechanical - During non-school weeks:
8 hours per day/48 hours per week
6 days per week
Retail/Mercantile - During school weeks:
6 a.m. to 10 p.m. (11 p.m. if school vacation/not prior to a school day/not attending
school/ 12:00 midnight in a supermarket, if 3500 square feet, when no school the next
day)
6 hours per day/32 hours per week
8 hours per day on Friday, Saturday, Sunday
Retail/Mercantile - During non-school weeks:
8 hours per day/48 hours per week
6 days per week
Hairdressing, Bowling Alley, Pool Hall, or Photography Gallery - During school weeks:
6 a.m. to 10 p.m.
6 hours per day/32 hours per week
8 hours per day on Friday, Saturday, Sunday
Hairdressing, Bowling Alley, Pool Hall, or Photography Gallery - During non-school weeks:
8 hours per day/48 hours per week
6 days per week
Minors under the age of 18 who are not enrolled in and have not graduated from high school
may only work the following hours.
Retail/Mercantile:
8 hours per day/48 hours per week
6 days per week
Restaurant, Manufacturing, Mechanical, Recreation, Amusement, and Theater:
9 hours per day/48 hours per week
6 days per week
For all occupations, work experience as part of an approved educational plan will not be counted
towards permitted hourly limits.
Conn. Gen. Stat. §§ 31-12, 31-13, 31-14, 31-16 and 31-18.
14 and 15 Year Olds
Permitted Occupations
Under Connecticut law, 14 and 15 year olds are permitted to work in the following occupations:
Agriculture
Street trades (newspaper delivery, shoe shining, baby-sitting, etc.)
Hospitals (no food service or laundry)
Convalescent homes (no food service or laundry)
Hotels and motels (no food service or laundry)
Banks
Insurance companies
Professional offices (lawyers, CPAs, etc.)
Municipalities (library attendants, recreation departments, etc.)
Golf caddies
Acting
Household chores for private homeowners (yard work, etc.)
Licensed summer camps
Mercantile/solicitation –Minor must be at least 15 years old and may then be employed in
any mercantile establishment as a bagger, cashier, or stock clerk
Prohibited Occupations
Under Connecticut law, minors under the age of 16 are prohibited from working in the following
occupations.
Restaurant/food service
Recreational establishments
Manufacturing industries
Mechanical/service industries
Mercantile/solicitation –However minors who are at least 15 years old may be employed
in any mercantile establishment as a bagger, cashier, or stock clerk
Theatrical industry
Barber shops
Any other business types not listed on the Permitted Occupation list.
Conn. Gen. Stat. § 31-23(a).
These prohibitions may be lifted where authorized by the Labor Commissioner for
minors aged 14 and 15 who are enrolled in (1) a public school in a work-study program, or (2) a
summer work-recreation program sponsored by a town, city or borough or by a human resources
development agency, or (3) a vocational probation pursuant to an order of the Superior Court, or
(4) a vocational parole program by the Commissioner of Children and Families. Conn. Gen.
Stat. § 31-23(a).
Hours of Work
Even when 14 & 15 year-old minors are permitted to work they may not be employed:
During school hours.
Before 7 a.m. or after 7 p.m., except from July 1 to Labor Day, when evening hours are
extended to 9 p.m.
More than 3 hours per day on school days, or 8 hours on non-school days.
More than 18 hours a week in school weeks, or 40 hours in non-school weeks.
Conn. Gen. Stat. § 31-23(b).
