Wages for a Minor

You cannot pay minors who have graduated from high school or have a Certificate of Proficiency less than adult employees in the same establishment for the same quantity and quality of work. However, differences in pay can be based on seniority, length of service, ability, skills, difference in duties or services performed, difference in the shift or time of day worked, hours of work or other reasonable differentiation exercised in good faith.¹

You can, in limited circumstances, pay minors less than the minimum wage. Both state and federal law regulate these subminimum wages. The federal opportunity wage allows you to pay a subminimum rate to individuals under the age of 20 for the first 90 consecutiveMinimum.