YOUTH AND TRAINING WAGES
Youth Minimum Wage: Federal $4.25 Training Wage Explained
Last verified 18 April 2026
FEDERAL YOUTH MINIMUM WAGE
For workers under 20 years old, for the first 90 consecutive calendar days of employment with a given employer.
How the 90-Day Rule Works
The federal youth minimum wage of $4.25 per hour applies under Section 6(g) of the FLSA to workers who are under 20 years of age and are in their first 90 consecutive calendar days of employment with a particular employer. Key details that are commonly misunderstood:
- Consecutive calendar days, not working days. The clock runs from day one regardless of how many shifts you work. A worker hired on 1 June reaches day 90 on 29 August whether they worked 30 shifts or 10.
- The clock resets with each new employer. If you leave one employer and start at another, that employer gets a fresh 90-day window. The total youth wage period across all employers is not capped.
- The birthday rule applies. If you turn 20 before day 91, the full minimum wage applies from your 20th birthday even if your 90 days have not expired.
- State rates can be higher. The $4.25 is a federal floor. States with higher minimums may not permit the youth subminimum at all, or may allow only a smaller reduction. California, Oregon, and Washington require the full adult rate regardless of age.
Anti-Displacement Rules
The FLSA expressly prohibits employers from using the youth minimum wage to displace other workers. Specifically, an employer may not:
- Discharge or reduce the hours of any employee in order to hire a youth worker at $4.25.
- Replace a current employee with a new hire if the purpose or effect is to take advantage of the youth minimum wage.
- Use youth wages to circumvent collective bargaining agreements.
DOL Wage and Hour Division enforces these anti-displacement rules through investigation. If displacement is found, the employer loses the right to pay the youth minimum to the affected workers and may owe back wages at the full minimum rate.
State Variations on Youth Wages
34 states and DC permit the federal $4.25 youth training wage. Others set their own rules:
| State | Youth Wage Rule |
|---|---|
| California | Full adult minimum ($16.90) applies regardless of age. No youth subminimum. |
| Oregon | Full adult minimum applies. No youth subminimum permitted. |
| Washington | Full adult minimum ($17.13) applies at all ages. No youth subminimum. |
| Minnesota | No subminimum for youth; full state rate applies. |
| Alaska | Full state minimum ($11.73) applies at all ages. |
| Montana | Full state minimum applies at all ages. |
| Connecticut | Youth rates permitted but higher than federal ($11.25 training rate). |
FLSA Section 14(b): Student Learner Programme
Section 14(b) of the FLSA allows the DOL to issue special certificates authorising employers to pay sub-minimum wages to full-time students working part-time in retail, service, agriculture, or higher-education institutions. The rate under a 14(b) certificate must be at least 85 percent of the applicable minimum wage.
In practice, 14(b) certificates are rarely used and the programme has seen declining take-up since the 1990s. The DOL issues these certificates sparingly and requires extensive documentation of the employment relationship with an educational institution. Most employers find it administratively easier to simply pay the full minimum wage.
FLSA Section 14(c): Sub-Minimum Wage for Workers with Disabilities
Section 14(c) of the FLSA allows employers to obtain DOL certificates to pay workers with disabilities below the federal minimum wage. The rate is set by measuring the worker's productivity relative to a non-disabled worker doing the same task. Historically, 14(c) certificate holders included sheltered workshops employing hundreds of workers with intellectual disabilities at pennies per hour.
The programme is deeply controversial. Disability rights advocates argue it is exploitative and perpetuates segregated employment. Providers argue it funds services for individuals who would otherwise have no employment. As of April 2026:
- Thirteen states have passed laws phasing out sub-minimum wages for workers with disabilities: Alaska, California, Colorado, Florida, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Hampshire, New York, Oregon, and Washington.
- The Biden DOL proposed full rescission of 14(c) certificates in December 2024. The Trump administration took office in January 2025 and has not rescinded the proposal but has not advanced it either. As of April 2026, existing certificates remain valid and new applications continue to be processed.
- The number of workers paid under 14(c) has declined from over 400,000 in the 1990s to fewer than 100,000 today as states phase out the programme and providers shift to integrated employment models.
UK
UK Equivalent: Apprentice Rate £8.00 from 1 April 2026
The UK apprentice rate of £8.00 per hour applies from 1 April 2026 to apprentices who are either: (a) under 19 years old, or (b) aged 19 or over and in the first year of their apprenticeship. Once an apprentice is both aged 19 or over and past their first year, they move to the age-appropriate rate -- £12.71 if 21 or over, £10.85 if 18 to 20.
Unlike the US youth training wage (which is tied to age and days of employment), the UK apprentice rate is tied to the apprenticeship contract and year of training. The UK has no direct equivalent to the FLSA 14(c) certificate scheme; UK disability employment law approaches wage floors differently through Universal Credit top-ups and Access to Work grants rather than permitting sub-minimum wages.