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CT · Employer compliance

Hire a minor in Connecticut: 6-step compliance checklist

The federal Fair Labor Standards Act sets a floor; Connecticut adds its own rules. The stricter of the two always wins. This page walks through the six checks every Connecticut employer must complete before a 14-, 15-, 16-, or 17-year-old starts work — sourced from the US DOL Connecticut state page and Connecticut General Statutes §§ 31-12 to 31-23a (Employment of Minors).

Last verified:

Minimum work age

14

State work permit

Required (14–17)

Restricted occupations on file

5

Stricter than federal?

Yes

  1. Verify the minor's age

    Before scheduling the first shift, get documentary proof of the employee’s date of birth. In Connecticut the state work permit (Working Papers (Form ED-301 or ED-302)) doubles as the age certificate — the issuing authority verifies the birth date when the permit is issued.

  2. Apply the stricter of federal or Connecticut hour caps

    Use the stricter rule for the employee’s age band and school-in-session status. Below are Connecticut’s state-specific caps for the two main age bands.

    Ages 14–15

    School in session

    Not permitted / day · Not permitted / week

    No state limit

    School out (summer)

    8 hr / day · 40 hr / week

    07:00 – 21:00

    Ages 16–17

    School in session

    6 hr / day · 32 hr / week

    06:00 – 23:00

    School out (summer)

    8 hr / day · 48 hr / week

    06:00 – 00:00

  3. Block hazardous and restricted occupations

    The 17 federal Hazardous Orders (HO-1 to HO-17) prohibit minors under 18 from specific non-agricultural occupations — meat processing, power tools, roofing, mining, certain driving roles, and more. See the full federal HO list.

    Connecticut adds the following restrictions on top of the federal floor:

    • All federal hazardous orders HO-1 through HO-17(29 CFR Part 570)
    • Operating power-driven meat-processing machines(HO-10)
    • Roofing operations and work on or about a roof(HO-16)
    • Manufacturing employment for minors under 16
    • Door-to-door sales for minors under 16

  4. Obtain the Connecticut work permit

    The minor obtains a Promise of Employment from the prospective employer, then applies at their school issuing officer's office with proof of age and a parent or guardian's signature. Working papers are job-specific and must be reissued for each new employer. Mercantile establishments use Form ED-301; manufacturing and mechanical use Form ED-302.

    Form
    Working Papers (Form ED-301 or ED-302)
    Issued by
    Local school district issuing officer
    Applies to ages
    14–17
    Connecticut permit info page →Download Connecticut work permit (PDF)

    How to apply for the Connecticut work permit →

  5. Post the required notices

    Display the federal FLSA Youth Employment poster and the Connecticut state child-labor poster where employees can see them. Both are free downloads from the US DOL Wage & Hour Division and the Connecticut labor agency. Failure to post is one of the most common citations issued during WHD audits.

  6. Keep records for at least 3 years

    Federal FLSA §11(c) sets a 3-year minimum for payroll, hours, age verification, and (where applicable) the Connecticut work permit. Many states require longer retention specifically for minor-employment documents — typically until 3 years after the minor turns 18. Keep: payroll + hours, age verification, the state permit, parental consent forms (where applicable), and any time-off / training records.

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