Return to HR Issues & Laws

Wage & Hour Issues - Employment of Minors

Prohibited Occupations and Places of Employment for all minors under the age of 18 years

• 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. This includes 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):

• island work

• changing passenger car tires (no truck tires)

• use of air hand tools

• preparing cars for painting, limited to sanding and masking (no spray painting or welding)

• hand cleaning and washing of motor vehicles (no flammable liquids)

• 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:

• Landscaping (planting small trees, shrubs, etc.)

• General yard work/cleaning (no riding reel lawn mowers)

• Brush painting & window cleaning (no ladders over 6 feet, no flammable cleaners/thinners, etc.)

• 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

Note: This is only a partial list of prohibited occupations for minors under the age of 18 years. See regulations 31-23-1 for a more complete list or call us for more information at (860) 263-6791.

Published by the Connecticut Department of Labor, Automation Support Unit
Last Updated: June 25, 1999

Prohibited Places of Employment for 14 & 15 Year-Olds

The following places of employment are not allowed for 14 & 15 year-olds:

• Restaurant/food service

• Recreational establishments

• Manufacturing industries

• Mechanical/service industries

• Mercantile/solicitation (see below)

• Theatrical industry

• Barber shops

• Any other business types not listed on the Permitted Occupation list.

Notes: 15-year-olds may be employed as baggers, cashiers or stock clerks in mercantile (retail/grocery stores) establishments during non-school weeks only. (Statement of Age/Working Papers required). As of October 1, 2000, 15-year-olds may be employed as baggers, cashiers, or stock clerks in retail food stores (only) on Saturdays. As noted below, 15-year-olds may not work more than 8 hours in a day or 40 hours in a week.

There are some exceptions for school-to-career, cooperative work experience, apprenticeship, and city/town summer work-recreation programs. Inquiries about these programs should be directed to school/town officials.

Federal Requirements
The child labor provisions of the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) apply concurrently in the State of Connecticut, and may be more restrictive. The U.S. Department of Labor should be contacted at (860) 240-4160 for further information.

Published by the Connecticut Department of Labor, Automation Support Unit
Last Updated: June 3, 1999

Permitted Occupations for 14 & 15 Year-Olds

• 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.)

• 15 year olds only may be employed in retail/mercantile establishments, as baggers, cashiers, or stock clerks during non-school weeks only (working papers are required) (see Sec. 31-23 of the General Statutes)

14 & 15 year-old minors 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.

Published by the Connecticut Department of Labor, Automation Support Unit
Last Updated: October 5, 1999

Time & Hour Restrictions for 16 & 17 Year-old Minors 
(by industry)

*EFFECTIVE OCTOBER 1, 1998

Persons under 18 years enrolled in and not graduated from a secondary institution.

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

Persons under 18 years not enrolled in and not graduated from a secondary institution.

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.

Published by the Connecticut Department of Labor, Automation Support Unit
Last Updated: January 3, 2000

© 2003 Connecticut Business & Industry Association (CBIA). All rights reserved.

The articles, forms and other materials available through this Web site are for informational purposes only. They are not intended as legal advice or as a solution to an individual problem. You are encouraged to consult with appropriate legal counsel prior to relying on the materials in whole or in part.