2012 Connecticut General Statutes
Title 31 - Labor
Chapter 557 - Employment Regulation
Section 31-13 - Hours of labor of minors, elderly and handicapped persons in mercantile establishments.

(a) None of the following persons under the conditions hereinafter described shall be employed in any mercantile establishment more than eight hours in any one day, or more than six days in any one calendar week or more than forty-eight hours in any one calendar week: (1) Persons under the age of eighteen years who are not enrolled in and have not graduated from a secondary educational institution; (2) persons sixty-six years of age or older, except with their consent; (3) handicapped persons, so designated by medical or governmental authority, except with their consent and after certification by a physician or an advanced practice registered nurse that the extended hours of work will not be injurious to their health; (4) disabled veterans, as defined under state or federal law, except with their consent and after certification by a physician or an advanced practice registered nurse that the extended hours of work will not be injurious to their health; but any such person may be permitted to work in any such establishment one day in any calendar week for not more than ten hours, for the purpose of making one shorter day during such week, and any employer who, during any year, gives not fewer than seven holidays with pay shall be exempt from the foregoing provisions hereof during the period from the eighteenth to the twenty-fifth day of December of such year.

(b) If the Labor Commissioner finds, upon application of an employer, that an emergency exists or that seasonal or peak demand places an unusual and temporary burden upon any mercantile establishment, any such person may be employed in such establishment not more than ten hours in any day and not more than fifty-two hours in any calendar week, but the total number of weeks of any such employment in any twelve months shall not exceed eight.

(c) No person under eighteen years of age shall be employed in any mercantile establishment more than (1) six hours in any regularly scheduled school day unless the regularly scheduled school day immediately precedes a nonschool day or eight hours in any other day, and (2) thirty-two hours in any calendar week during which the school in which such person is enrolled is in session, or forty-eight hours in any other calendar week during which the school in which such person is enrolled is not is session. Notwithstanding any provision of this section, the number of hours such person participates in a work experience that is part of an approved educational plan, cooperative program or school-to-work program shall not be counted against the daily or weekly limits set forth in this section.

(d) Each employer in any such establishment shall post in a conspicuous place in each room where such persons are employed a notice, the form of which shall be furnished by the Labor Commissioner, stating specifically the hours of work required of such persons on each day of the week, and the employment of any such persons for a longer time than so stated shall be a violation of this section.

(e) The provisions of this section shall not apply to permanent salaried employees in executive, managerial or supervisory positions excepted from the provisions of part I of chapter 558 who receive a regular salary of not less than the minimum fixed for such employment in any wage order or administrative regulation issued under authority of said part, or to persons under eighteen years of age who have graduated from a secondary educational institution.

(1949 Rev., S. 7344; 1953, S. 3010d; 1969, P.A. 802, S. 2; P.A. 73-83, S. 1, 3; P.A. 85-28, S. 2; P.A. 98-210, S. 2; P.A. 06-139, S. 2; P.A. 07-217, S. 143; P.A. 12-197, S. 34.)

History: 1969 act increased period during which 10-hour days and 52-hour weeks are permissible from 4 to 8 weeks during any year; P.A. 73-83 deleted women from applicability of provisions and extended applicability to cover persons 66 or older, handicapped persons and disabled veterans; P.A. 85-28 exempted persons who have graduated from a secondary educational institution from the employment restrictions placed on minors; P.A. 98-210 clarified that applicability is to persons under 18 years of age who are not enrolled in and have not graduated from a secondary educational institution, reduced the number of hours a student under 18 years of age may work in a mercantile establishment while school is in session, created an exemption for graduates under 18 years of age, and added alphabetic Subsec. indicators and numeric Subdiv. indicators; P.A. 06-139 deleted former Subsec. (e) re penalty for violation of section, redesignating existing Subsec. (f) as Subsec. (e), effective January 1, 2007; P.A. 07-217 made a technical change in Subsec. (b), effective July 12, 2007; P.A. 12-197 amended Subsec. (a)(3) and (4) by adding provisions allowing certification by an advanced practice registered nurse.

See Secs. 31-15a, 31-69a re penalties for violation of section.

Nominal president deemed an employee. 10 CS 171.