# Hiring minors at a restaurant in Connecticut (2026)

*Guides · Mays Team · November 14, 2026*

![Mays cover card: Hiring minors at a restaurant in Connecticut (2026) — No restaurant jobs under 16](https://mays-uploads.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/site/blog__hiring-minors-restaurant-connecticut-2026__cover.8917767f83.png)

Connecticut keeps restaurants closed to anyone under 16: the same law that lets a 15-year-old bag groceries over school vacation leaves restaurants and dining rooms off the list. From 16, a teen still in school has limits federal law doesn't set: 6 hours on most school days, 32 hours in a school week, and done by 11 p.m. on a school night. Every one of them needs working papers from the school district before the first shift.

This page is about hiring teenagers in Connecticut: the youngest age you can hire, how long and how late 14- to 17-year-olds may work, work permits, breaks, the kitchen jobs they can't do, posters, an example week checked against every limit, and what Mays checks for you. Wages, tips and overtime are on [Connecticut restaurant pay rules (2026)](https://www.mays.app/blog/connecticut-restaurant-pay-rules-2026); they apply to teenagers too, and this page adds only what is different for them.

**Checked October 5, 2026:** every figure on this page was read on its official source; the Sources list at the end gives the date of each check.

*This is general information, not legal advice. Whether a rule applies can depend on your business's size and your own facts; the note at the end says more.*

## Federal and Connecticut law: follow the stricter one

Two sets of child labor rules can apply to a restaurant in Connecticut: the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and Connecticut's own law. Where the state law is less strict, the federal law applies, and where the state law is stricter, the state law applies ([US DOL, state child labor](https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/state/child-labor)). The FLSA covers a business with at least two employees and annual sales of at least $500,000 ([DOL Fact Sheet #14](https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/fact-sheets/14-flsa-coverage)), and it can cover workers at a smaller one individually, when their work regularly involves trade between states.

Connecticut's labor department says the same: an employer covered by both laws must follow the stricter provision of the two, and one that follows only a looser Connecticut rule breaks federal law ([CT DOL, employment of minors](https://portal.ct.gov/dol/divisions/wage-and-workplace-standards/employment-of-minors)).

## Connecticut at a glance

| Rule | Connecticut |
| --- | --- |
| Youngest age for restaurant work | 16, outside approved school and summer programs ([C.G.S. ch. 557](https://www.cga.ct.gov/current/pub/chap_557.htm)) |
| Working papers | A certificate of age for every worker under 18, from the school district ([C.G.S. ch. 557](https://www.cga.ct.gov/current/pub/chap_557.htm)) |
| 16–17, school week | 6 hours on a school day (8 before a day off school), 32 a week ([C.G.S. ch. 557](https://www.cga.ct.gov/current/pub/chap_557.htm)); 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. before a school day ([CT DOL, hours for 16 and 17](https://portal.ct.gov/dol/knowledge-base/articles/wage-and-workplace-standards/time-hour-restrictions-for-16-17-year-old-minors)) |
| 16–17, week with no school | 8 hours a day, 48 a week, no more than 6 days ([CT DOL, restaurant minors poster](https://portal.ct.gov/dol/-/media/dol/2022-new-design-system/divisions/wage-and-workplace-standards/poster-minorsrestaurant.pdf?rev=821ec423c4f946bf93b8d8f46b99f1b3)) |
| Serving alcohol | From 18; teens may work in a licensed restaurant from 16 ([C.G.S. ch. 545](https://www.cga.ct.gov/current/pub/chap_545.htm)) |
| Minors' rate | 85 percent of the minimum wage for the first 90 days ([C.G.S. ch. 558](https://www.cga.ct.gov/current/pub/chap_558.htm)) |

## How young can you hire?

Under federal law, 14 is the youngest age for restaurant work ([29 CFR 570.2](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-29/section-570.2)).

Connecticut sets a higher bar for restaurants: no one under 16 may work in a restaurant or public dining room ([C.G.S. ch. 557](https://www.cga.ct.gov/current/pub/chap_557.htm)), and the state's restaurant wage order repeats it ([CT DOL, restaurant wage order](https://portal.ct.gov/dol/-/media/dol/2022-new-design-system/divisions/wage-and-workplace-standards/dol-79_revised_restaurant_final2026.pdf?rev=ac51a6c9ab764f39842d2e37a26cdd17&hash=15E360E49ACE9BE3A0E53C21801FD42A)). The few exceptions are below.

## Hours for 14- and 15-year-olds

Hired the usual way, a 14- or 15-year-old can't work in a Connecticut restaurant at all, so the state column is short. The exceptions: a teen the Labor Commissioner authorizes through a public school work-study program or an approved town summer work-recreation program, and a teen on court-ordered vocational probation or on vocational parole from the Department of Children and Families ([C.G.S. ch. 557](https://www.cga.ct.gov/current/pub/chap_557.htm)). The state's working-papers manual lists restaurants and food service among the places 14- and 15-year-olds may not work ([CT Working Papers Manual](https://portal.ct.gov/dol/-/media/dol/2022-new-design-system/divisions/wage-and-workplace-standards/0005_wp_aod.pdf?rev=e02244c6759f4afabcf68163ffcf0e87)).

| Limit | Federal | Connecticut |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Hours on a school day | 3 ([29 CFR 570.35](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-29/section-570.35)) | No restaurant work under 16 ([C.G.S. ch. 557](https://www.cga.ct.gov/current/pub/chap_557.htm)) |
| Hours in a school week | 18 ([29 CFR 570.35](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-29/section-570.35)) | No restaurant work |
| Hours on a day with no school | 8 ([29 CFR 570.35](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-29/section-570.35)) | No restaurant work |
| Hours in a week with no school | 40 ([29 CFR 570.35](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-29/section-570.35)) | No restaurant work |
| Days a week | No federal limit | No restaurant work |
| Time of day | 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.; 9 p.m. from June 1 through Labor Day ([29 CFR 570.35](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-29/section-570.35)) | No restaurant work |
| During school hours | Not allowed ([29 CFR 570.35](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-29/section-570.35)) | No restaurant work |

The federal column is what federal law allows a 14- or 15-year-old in general. In a Connecticut restaurant it matters only for a teen placed with you through one of the programs above; ask the program which hours apply to the placement.

## Hours for 16- and 17-year-olds

| Limit | Federal | Connecticut |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Hours on a school day | No federal limit | 6; 8 on a school day before a day with no school ([C.G.S. ch. 557](https://www.cga.ct.gov/current/pub/chap_557.htm)) |
| Hours in a school week | No federal limit | 32 ([C.G.S. ch. 557](https://www.cga.ct.gov/current/pub/chap_557.htm)) |
| Hours on a day with no school | No federal limit | 8 ([C.G.S. ch. 557](https://www.cga.ct.gov/current/pub/chap_557.htm)) |
| Hours in a week with no school | No federal limit | 48 ([C.G.S. ch. 557](https://www.cga.ct.gov/current/pub/chap_557.htm)), over no more than 6 days ([CT DOL, restaurant minors poster](https://portal.ct.gov/dol/-/media/dol/2022-new-design-system/divisions/wage-and-workplace-standards/poster-minorsrestaurant.pdf?rev=821ec423c4f946bf93b8d8f46b99f1b3)) |
| Time of day | No federal limit | 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. before a school day; until midnight on other nights and in school vacations ([CT DOL, hours for 16 and 17](https://portal.ct.gov/dol/knowledge-base/articles/wage-and-workplace-standards/time-hour-restrictions-for-16-17-year-old-minors)) |
| During school hours | No federal rule | Not allowed for a teen enrolled in school, outside approved programs ([CT Working Papers Manual](https://portal.ct.gov/dol/-/media/dol/2022-new-design-system/divisions/wage-and-workplace-standards/0005_wp_aod.pdf?rev=e02244c6759f4afabcf68163ffcf0e87)) |

Federal law sets no hours at this age, so Connecticut's limits are the ones to schedule by. They are for teens still in school: a 16- or 17-year-old who has graduated from high school isn't covered by them, and hours in a work experience that's part of an approved educational plan, cooperative program or school-to-work program don't count toward the daily or weekly limits ([C.G.S. ch. 557](https://www.cga.ct.gov/current/pub/chap_557.htm)). A teen with two jobs is held to one total: the hours at both may not exceed what's allowed for their age ([CT Working Papers Manual](https://portal.ct.gov/dol/-/media/dol/2022-new-design-system/divisions/wage-and-workplace-standards/0005_wp_aod.pdf?rev=e02244c6759f4afabcf68163ffcf0e87)).

## Work permits and age certificates

For every worker under 18, you must get a certificate of age, known as working papers ([C.G.S. ch. 557](https://www.cga.ct.gov/current/pub/chap_557.htm)). The teen gets it from the local superintendent of schools or the superintendent's designee, or from their private school, and for a restaurant it shows they are 16 or older ([C.G.S. ch. 168](https://www.cga.ct.gov/current/pub/chap_168.htm)). They apply with proof of age and a Promise of Employment letter from you ([CT DOL, working papers](https://portal.ct.gov/dol/knowledge-base/articles/wage-and-workplace-standards/steps-in-obtaining-working-papers-for-minors)): it must give the street address where they'll work, the hourly wage as a dollar amount, the specific tasks (no vague terms such as "cleaning"), the most hours a week you could ask of them, and a manager's name, contact details and signature ([CT DOL, promise of employment](https://portal.ct.gov/dol/knowledge-base/articles/wage-and-workplace-standards/required-information-in-a-promise-of-employment-letter)).

Keep the certificate on file at the workplace, where labor department inspectors can see it during business hours ([C.G.S. ch. 557](https://www.cga.ct.gov/current/pub/chap_557.htm)), until 2 years after the teen turns 18 ([CT DOL, working papers](https://portal.ct.gov/dol/knowledge-base/articles/wage-and-workplace-standards/steps-in-obtaining-working-papers-for-minors)). A certificate belongs to one employer: a teen with two jobs needs one for each ([CT Working Papers Manual](https://portal.ct.gov/dol/-/media/dol/2022-new-design-system/divisions/wage-and-workplace-standards/0005_wp_aod.pdf?rev=e02244c6759f4afabcf68163ffcf0e87)).

Federal law itself doesn't require work permits ([DOL Fact Sheet #43](https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/fact-sheets/43-child-labor-non-agriculture)). An age certificate on file protects you from unknowingly hiring someone too young, and the federal rules suggest getting one whenever a teen says they are only a year or two over the minimum age for the job ([29 CFR 570.5](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-29/section-570.5)).

## Breaks for minors

Connecticut has no break rule of its own for minors ([US DOL, state meal periods](https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/state/meal-breaks)).

The meal period every Connecticut worker gets applies to teens too: at least 30 minutes when someone works 7.5 or more hours in a row ([C.G.S. ch. 557](https://www.cga.ct.gov/current/pub/chap_557.htm)). The labor department's checklist for employers of minors asks about it by name ([CT DOL, employers' checklist](https://portal.ct.gov/dol/knowledge-base/articles/wage-and-workplace-standards/employers-checklist-for-employment-of-minors)), and its exceptions are on [Connecticut restaurant pay rules (2026)](https://www.mays.app/blog/connecticut-restaurant-pay-rules-2026).

Federal law doesn't require meal or rest breaks at any age ([DOL Fact Sheet #43](https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/fact-sheets/43-child-labor-non-agriculture)).

## Jobs minors can't do in your restaurant

Some jobs are off limits whatever the hours. Under federal law, no one under 18 may do these ([DOL Fact Sheet #2A](https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/fact-sheets/2a-child-labor-restaurants)):

- Meat or deli slicer, meat grinder, patty former ([29 CFR 570.61](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-29/section-570.61))
- Dough or batter mixer, dough sheeter or brake ([29 CFR 570.62](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-29/section-570.62))
- Cardboard baler or trash compactor ([29 CFR 570.63](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-29/section-570.63))
- Delivery driving ([29 CFR 570.52](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-29/section-570.52))

And 14- and 15-year-olds also may not do these:

- Baking ([29 CFR 570.33](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-29/section-570.33))
- Cooking other than on an electric or gas grill with no open flame, or a fryer that lowers and raises its baskets automatically ([29 CFR 570.33](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-29/section-570.33))
- Power-driven food slicers, grinders, choppers, processors, cutters or mixers ([29 CFR 570.33](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-29/section-570.33))
- Work in freezers or meat coolers (more than stepping in to fetch an item) ([29 CFR 570.33](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-29/section-570.33))
- Ladders or scaffolds ([29 CFR 570.33](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-29/section-570.33))
- Filtering, pouring or carrying hot oil or grease above 100 °F ([29 CFR 570.34](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-29/section-570.34))
- Loading or unloading trucks ([29 CFR 570.33](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-29/section-570.33))

### Connecticut's own rules

- Alcohol: a restaurant with a liquor permit may employ teens from 16, but no one under 18 may serve or sell alcohol there ([C.G.S. ch. 545](https://www.cga.ct.gov/current/pub/chap_545.htm)).
- Fryers and rethermalizers: the labor department allows 16- and 17-year-olds to use them, and requires you to train each one on the specific machine within 30 days of hire, with the training given by someone 18 or older. Keep a record of the training that lists the equipment and that you and the teen both sign; failing to train can cost $300.00 for each violation ([CT Working Papers Manual](https://portal.ct.gov/dol/-/media/dol/2022-new-design-system/divisions/wage-and-workplace-standards/0005_wp_aod.pdf?rev=e02244c6759f4afabcf68163ffcf0e87)).
- Cleaning and ladders: anyone under 18 may use only cleaning products sold in grocery stores, in the container with the maker's original label, and no ladder taller than 6 feet ([CT Working Papers Manual](https://portal.ct.gov/dol/-/media/dol/2022-new-design-system/divisions/wage-and-workplace-standards/0005_wp_aod.pdf?rev=e02244c6759f4afabcf68163ffcf0e87)).

## Pay: the minimum wage, youth rates and tips

Connecticut has a minors' rate: a worker under 18, other than an emancipated minor, may be paid 85 percent of the minimum wage for the first 90 days of the job, then the full minimum wage ([C.G.S. ch. 558](https://www.cga.ct.gov/current/pub/chap_558.htm)). The state's working-papers manual adds that it applies only to a teen's first job and must be stated in your Promise of Employment letter ([CT Working Papers Manual](https://portal.ct.gov/dol/-/media/dol/2022-new-design-system/divisions/wage-and-workplace-standards/0005_wp_aod.pdf?rev=e02244c6759f4afabcf68163ffcf0e87)). Even the lower rate is far above the federal youth wage, so the federal rate below doesn't lower what you pay in Connecticut.

Federal law lets an employer pay $4.25 an hour to a worker under 20 during their first 90 consecutive calendar days on the job, but not to push out other workers, and not where a state or local law requires more and makes no exception for workers under 20 ([DOL Fact Sheet #32](https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/fact-sheets/32-minimum-wage-youth)).

Everything else about pay, from the tipped cash wage to tip pools and overtime, is on [Connecticut restaurant pay rules (2026)](https://www.mays.app/blog/connecticut-restaurant-pay-rules-2026).

## Posters and records

Every employer the federal minimum wage law covers must display the federal poster, *Employee Rights Under the Fair Labor Standards Act*, where employees can readily read it; it includes a section on child labor ([US DOL, FLSA poster](https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/posters/flsa)).

Post the hours of the minors who work for you conspicuously in the restaurant, in the form the Labor Commissioner sets ([C.G.S. ch. 557](https://www.cga.ct.gov/current/pub/chap_557.htm)); the labor department's poster for minors in restaurants and food service sums up the rules ([CT DOL, restaurant minors poster](https://portal.ct.gov/dol/-/media/dol/2022-new-design-system/divisions/wage-and-workplace-standards/poster-minorsrestaurant.pdf?rev=821ec423c4f946bf93b8d8f46b99f1b3)). The restaurant wage order lists working certificates for minor employees among the records you keep ([CT DOL, restaurant wage order](https://portal.ct.gov/dol/-/media/dol/2022-new-design-system/divisions/wage-and-workplace-standards/dol-79_revised_restaurant_final2026.pdf?rev=ac51a6c9ab764f39842d2e37a26cdd17&hash=15E360E49ACE9BE3A0E53C21801FD42A)).

## An example week

A made-up schedule for a week in October, when school is in session Monday to Friday: Leo, 17. Each line under the schedule is a limit from this page, and the week stays inside every one of them.

There's no example week for a 15-year-old here: hired the usual way, a teen in Connecticut has to wait until 16 to work in a restaurant, and a placement through one of the approved programs above comes with the program's own hours.

### Leo, 17, in a school week

| Day | Shift | Unpaid break | Hours | School day? |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Monday | Off |  |  | Yes |
| Tuesday | 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. | None | 4 | Yes |
| Wednesday | Off |  |  | Yes |
| Thursday | 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. | None | 4 | Yes |
| Friday | 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. | None | 4 | Yes |
| Saturday | 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. | 30 minutes at 2 p.m. | 8 | No |
| Sunday | Off |  |  | No |

That's 20 hours over 4 days. How the week measures up:

- Longest school day before another school day: 4 hours; the limit is 6 (Connecticut, [C.G.S. ch. 557](https://www.cga.ct.gov/current/pub/chap_557.htm)).
- Longest day: 8 hours; the limit is 8 (Connecticut, [C.G.S. ch. 557](https://www.cga.ct.gov/current/pub/chap_557.htm)).
- The week: 20 hours; the limit is 32 (Connecticut, [C.G.S. ch. 557](https://www.cga.ct.gov/current/pub/chap_557.htm)).
- Latest finish on a night before school: 9 p.m.; not after 11 p.m. (Connecticut, [CT DOL, hours for 16 and 17](https://portal.ct.gov/dol/knowledge-base/articles/wage-and-workplace-standards/time-hour-restrictions-for-16-17-year-old-minors)).
- Latest finish: 9 p.m.; not after midnight (Connecticut, [CT DOL, hours for 16 and 17](https://portal.ct.gov/dol/knowledge-base/articles/wage-and-workplace-standards/time-hour-restrictions-for-16-17-year-old-minors)).
- Earliest start: 10 a.m.; not before 6 a.m. (Connecticut, [CT DOL, hours for 16 and 17](https://portal.ct.gov/dol/knowledge-base/articles/wage-and-workplace-standards/time-hour-restrictions-for-16-17-year-old-minors)).
- Longest stretch without a break: 4 hours; the limit is 7.5 (Connecticut, [C.G.S. ch. 557](https://www.cga.ct.gov/current/pub/chap_557.htm)).

## How Mays handles this

Mays builds the schedule, runs the time clock and keeps each person's details for every location. For teenagers in Connecticut:

- **Turn on minors' rules per location.** Work rules for minors are part of Labor law compliance: switch on **Minors (under 18)** on the location's Labor & compliance card. Mays then works out each person's age on every shift date from their date of birth.
- **The federal limits, and Connecticut marked "Not checked yet".** Mays checks the federal limits everywhere. Connecticut's own limits aren't built into Mays yet: the location's card lists Connecticut as **Not checked yet**, so check the Connecticut rules on this page yourself, above all the ones stricter than federal law.
- **Warnings on the schedule, never a block.** A shift that breaks a limit is outlined with **Minor rule**, each minor's row shows their age band and the week's hours against their limit, and the warnings before publishing name the law. You can still publish.
- **The auto-scheduler stays inside the limits.** It never puts a minor on a shift that would break one of their limits: it gives the shift to someone else or leaves it open, and tells you why.
- **Tasks by position.** Give a position a minimum age and tick the federal tasks it involves, such as a meat slicer or delivery driving. A minor scheduled in it gets a warning, and the auto-scheduler won't put them there.
- **School days from a calendar.** By default Mays counts Monday to Friday as school days from the day after Labor Day through May, with school from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. You can add your school district's own calendar, breaks included.
- **Hours across every location.** A teen who works at two of your locations is held to one weekly limit, because the limits apply per employer.
- **What Mays doesn't check yet:** minors' meal breaks, work permits and clock-ins. Keep the permits on file yourself, and schedule the breaks above.

How to set it up: [Scheduling minors](https://www.mays.app/help/scheduling/scheduling-minors).

## Sources

Every figure on this page comes from these official pages, as they read on the date shown.

- [US Department of Labor, state child labor standards](https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/state/child-labor), checked October 5, 2026
- [US Department of Labor, Fact Sheet #14: coverage under the FLSA](https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/fact-sheets/14-flsa-coverage), checked October 5, 2026
- [Connecticut Department of Labor, employment of minors](https://portal.ct.gov/dol/divisions/wage-and-workplace-standards/employment-of-minors), checked October 5, 2026
- [Connecticut General Statutes, chapter 557 (employment regulation)](https://www.cga.ct.gov/current/pub/chap_557.htm), checked October 5, 2026
- [Connecticut Department of Labor, time and hour restrictions for 16- and 17-year-olds](https://portal.ct.gov/dol/knowledge-base/articles/wage-and-workplace-standards/time-hour-restrictions-for-16-17-year-old-minors), checked October 5, 2026
- [Connecticut Department of Labor, poster: employment of minors in restaurants and food service](https://portal.ct.gov/dol/-/media/dol/2022-new-design-system/divisions/wage-and-workplace-standards/poster-minorsrestaurant.pdf?rev=821ec423c4f946bf93b8d8f46b99f1b3), checked October 5, 2026
- [Connecticut General Statutes, chapter 545 (Liquor Control Act)](https://www.cga.ct.gov/current/pub/chap_545.htm), checked October 5, 2026
- [Connecticut General Statutes, chapter 558 (wages)](https://www.cga.ct.gov/current/pub/chap_558.htm), checked October 5, 2026
- [29 CFR 570.2 (minimum age standards)](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-29/section-570.2), checked September 24, 2026
- [Connecticut Department of Labor, restaurant minimum wage order (DOL-79, January 2026)](https://portal.ct.gov/dol/-/media/dol/2022-new-design-system/divisions/wage-and-workplace-standards/dol-79_revised_restaurant_final2026.pdf?rev=ac51a6c9ab764f39842d2e37a26cdd17&hash=15E360E49ACE9BE3A0E53C21801FD42A), checked October 5, 2026
- [Connecticut's Working Papers Manual (State Department of Education, 2024 edition), as posted by the Connecticut Department of Labor](https://portal.ct.gov/dol/-/media/dol/2022-new-design-system/divisions/wage-and-workplace-standards/0005_wp_aod.pdf?rev=e02244c6759f4afabcf68163ffcf0e87), checked October 5, 2026
- [29 CFR 570.35 (hours for 14- and 15-year-olds)](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-29/section-570.35), checked September 24, 2026
- [Connecticut General Statutes, chapter 168 (school attendance and employment of minors)](https://www.cga.ct.gov/current/pub/chap_168.htm), checked October 5, 2026
- [Connecticut Department of Labor, steps in obtaining working papers](https://portal.ct.gov/dol/knowledge-base/articles/wage-and-workplace-standards/steps-in-obtaining-working-papers-for-minors), checked October 5, 2026
- [Connecticut Department of Labor, what a Promise of Employment letter must include](https://portal.ct.gov/dol/knowledge-base/articles/wage-and-workplace-standards/required-information-in-a-promise-of-employment-letter), checked October 5, 2026
- [US Department of Labor, Fact Sheet #43: child labor provisions for nonagricultural occupations](https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/fact-sheets/43-child-labor-non-agriculture), checked October 5, 2026
- [29 CFR 570.5 (certificates of age)](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-29/section-570.5), checked October 5, 2026
- [US Department of Labor, state meal period requirements](https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/state/meal-breaks), checked September 24, 2026
- [Connecticut Department of Labor, employers' checklist for employing minors](https://portal.ct.gov/dol/knowledge-base/articles/wage-and-workplace-standards/employers-checklist-for-employment-of-minors), checked October 5, 2026
- [US Department of Labor, Fact Sheet #2A: child labor rules for restaurants](https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/fact-sheets/2a-child-labor-restaurants), checked October 5, 2026
- [29 CFR 570.61 (Hazardous Occupations Order 10: meat slicers and processing machines)](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-29/section-570.61), checked October 5, 2026
- [29 CFR 570.62 (Hazardous Occupations Order 11: bakery machines)](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-29/section-570.62), checked October 5, 2026
- [29 CFR 570.63 (Hazardous Occupations Order 12: balers and compactors)](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-29/section-570.63), checked October 5, 2026
- [29 CFR 570.52 (Hazardous Occupations Order 2: driving)](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-29/section-570.52), checked October 5, 2026
- [29 CFR 570.33 (jobs barred at 14 and 15)](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-29/section-570.33), checked October 5, 2026
- [29 CFR 570.34 (jobs allowed at 14 and 15)](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-29/section-570.34), checked October 5, 2026
- [US Department of Labor, Fact Sheet #32: youth minimum wage](https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/fact-sheets/32-minimum-wage-youth), checked October 5, 2026
- [US Department of Labor, the FLSA minimum wage poster](https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/posters/flsa), checked October 5, 2026

*This page is general information, not legal advice. Laws change, and coverage rules (your business's size, whether federal law covers you, a teen's schooling) decide which of them apply. Check the pages above, and ask an employment lawyer about your situation.*

## Schedule teenagers without the guesswork

Add each teen's date of birth, turn on minors' rules for the location, and Mays warns you before a shift runs too long or too late.

[**Start your free trial**](https://go.mays.app/register): 30 days, every module, no card needed.

## Related help articles

- Scheduling: [Scheduling minors](https://www.mays.app/help/scheduling/scheduling-minors) — Turn on work rules for minors at a location (part of Labor law compliance), and Mays checks the hours and times of anyone under 18 against federal and state law. You get warnings on the schedule, and the auto-scheduler stays inside the limits. Nothing is ever blocked.
- Time clock: [Labor & compliance (per location)](https://www.mays.app/help/time-clock/labor-compliance) — Where: Locations & Users → Locations → a location → Scheduling tab → Labor & compliance card.
- Scheduling: [Positions and wages](https://www.mays.app/help/scheduling/positions-and-wages) — Create the jobs people work — Barista, Cashier, Line Cook — with a colour and a default hourly wage, give people their positions and pay, and see where Mays uses them.
- Team & roles: [Add and invite team members](https://www.mays.app/help/team-roles/add-team-members) — Add people on the web or from the app. Employees get a text with a link to the app; managers and admins get an email to set a password. Plus resending invites and checking delivery.
- Scheduling: [Building the weekly schedule](https://www.mays.app/help/scheduling/build-the-schedule) — Build a location's week on the web — add, move, copy and edit shifts, add open shifts, and keep an eye on time off, availability and labor cost while you work.

Canonical: https://www.mays.app/blog/hiring-minors-restaurant-connecticut-2026