Researcher: LRH Page 1 4/9/24
OLR Bill Analysis
sSB 410
AN ACT CONCERNING PAID INTERNSHIPS FOR HIGH SCHOOL
STUDENTS.
SUMMARY
Current law generally prohibits minors under age 16 from working
in the manufacturing, mechanical, mercantile, or theatrical industry; a
restaurant or public dining room; or a bowling alley, shoe shining
establishment, or barber shop. This bill creates an exception to this
prohibition that allows 14- and 15-year-olds to participate in paid
internships defined and approved by the education and labor
commissioners. For 14-year-olds to be eligible, they must turn age 15
during the same school year that they are participating in the internship.
Under the bill, the participating interns (1) cannot work more than
120 hours during the school year and (2) may work during school hours
if their hours are approved by their superintendent of schools. They
must be paid the full current minimum wage and are not subject to a
provision in the minimum wage law that generally allows minors under
age 18 to be paid 85% of the minimum wage for their first 90 days of
employment.
Current law generally prohibits minors under age 18 from working
in any occupation that has been pronounced hazardous by the
Department of Public Health or Department of Labor (DOL), but it has
exemptions for those who are at least age 16 and registered pre-
apprentices or apprentices, participating in a manufacturing or
mechanical internship, or enrolled in certain cooperative work-study
programs, among other things. The bill also exempts minors
participating in a paid internship defined and approved by the
education and labor commissioners (it is unclear if the minors must be
at least age 16 for the exemption to apply). 2024SB-00410-R000353-BA.DOCX
Researcher: LRH Page 2 4/9/24
The bill requires employers of minors under age 18 in a paid
internship to get a certificate stating the minor’s age (i.e., “working
papers”), which must be kept on file at the place of employment and
available during business hours for DOL inspectors. The bill
correspondingly requires school superintendents (or the supervisory
agent of a nonpublic school) to give a certificate showing that a minor is
at least age 15 or will reach that age during the same school year to
anyone who wants to employ the minor in a paid internship defined
and approved by the education and labor commissioners.
EFFECTIVE DATE: October 1, 2024
COMMITTEE ACTION
Labor and Public Employees Committee
Joint Favorable Substitute
Yea 12 Nay 0 (03/21/2024)