Note: All names are pseudonyms unless stated otherwise to protect the identity of the student workers.
In a survey of students conducted by The Wire, some students divulged that they were paid under the minimum wage for their work to The Wire. Many believed, unknowingly or not, that they were being fairly compensated anyways. Students are often unaware or not knowledgeable about New York State labor laws in place to protect young workers from exploitation. Young workers are potentially more vulnerable to this exploitation than older workers, as they may lack understanding of labor protections and face pressure from their families to work. They may be more afraid to report violations and hold less bargaining power with their employers due to their age and experience.
Monroe-Woodbury’s students are no exception. The Wire distributed a Google Form to students via the Google Classrooms of all English classes, asking about their experience with working: 57 students responded; of them, 30 said they worked.
Where Do Students Work?
Click a map marker to reveal quotes, wages, hours, and more as told by the students who work there. Click inside the legend to return to this info.
Businesses inside the green square, predominantly those in Woodbury Commons, can be investigated in the upper right corner.
Some locations may be inaccurate when students did not specify. The Wire chose the location closest to Monroe-Woodbury High School.
Attribution: Map data Copyright 2025 Google
(Olivia Cooper)
Mount Peter Ski Resort
Five students, four as instructors and one as a cashier, reported working at Mount Peter Ski Resort, the most of a single business.
One ski instructor reported earning $14.00/hr, under the non-tipped minimum wage, but rarely received tips from their clients' parents. They did not feel they were being compensated fairly.
Other instructors reported earning $15.50/hr, above the non-tipped minimum wage, and didn't mention a tipping system at all. The cashier made more than all of them at $16.00/hr.
Enjoyment: Yes, totally - 4/5. Sometimes - 1/5.
Wage Range: $14.00-16.00/hr
Compensation: Yes - 3/5. Maybe - 1/5. No - 1/5.
The Castle Fun Center
"I need money for a car, college, and just in general."
This student works at the Castle as a party host, which includes playing with children, serving food and drink, and making pizzas. While they stated they were being compensated fairly, their tipped wage of $10.15/hr is below New York's minimum tipped wage for service employees of $12.90/hr.
Enjoyment: Yes, totally.
Wage: $10.15/hr plus tips
Frozen Ropes
This Counselor-in-Training, or junior counselor, at Frozen Ropes, a baseball and softball training center, did not feel like they were being compensated fairly at $5.00/hr, which is far below New York's minimum wage of $15.50/hr.
Enjoyment: Yes, totally.
Wage: $5.00/hr
Hours: 40 hrs/week during the summer
Dunkin'
"Money. Isn't it the same for everyone?"
This student, working at Dunkin', was paid under New York minimum wage at $15.00/hr. They still reported that they were fairly compensated.
Enjoyment: Yes, totally.
Wage: $15.00/hr
Sienna's Sunnies Sweet Little Things Boutique
This student worked at Sienna's Sunnies, a children's clothing boutique and event space. Their wage range, at $10.00-$15.00/hr, is below New York minimum wage.
Enjoyment: Yes, totally.
Wage: $10.00-$15.00/hr
United Martial Arts Centers Monroe
"I wanted to work with kids and it started out as volunteer then started workign part time"
This student worked with kids at United Martial Arts Center, which hosts martial arts training programs.
Enjoyment: Yes, totally.
Wage: A little over minimum wage (Did not specify).
Aji Asian Cuisine
This student said they worked at Aji Asian Cuisine because it's a family restaurant, but they did not enjoy the work at all.
Enjoyment: No, not at all.
Wage: Did not specify, but feels they are being compensated fairly.
Hours: Did not specify.
Where Do Students Work?
Click a map marker to reveal quotes, wages, hours, and more as told by the students who work there. Click inside the legend to return to this info.
Businesses inside the green square, predominantly those in Woodbury Commons, can be investigated in the upper right corner.
Some locations may be inaccurate when students did not specify. The Wire chose the location closest to Monroe-Woodbury High School.
Attribution: Map data Copyright 2025 Google
(Olivia Cooper)
Abercrombie & Fitch
"No sadly i wish they did overwork me and give me more hours."
This student, who worked at Abercrombie & Fitch, helps customers and cleans the store.
Enjoyment: Sometimes.
Wage: $17.00/hr
Adidas
Two students reported working at Adidas, mainly as a cashier and organizer. At $16.50/hr, they are paid on the higher end of most retail jobs in our records.
Enjoyment: 1/2 - Yes, totally. 1/2 - Sometimes.
Wage: $16.50/hr
Gap Factory
This student helps customers at Gap Factory.
Enjoyment: Sometimes.
Wage: $16.00/hr
Lacoste
This student holds a whopping four jobs, working at Lacoste, waitering, reselling clothes, and their own car-detailing business.
Enjoyment: Yes, totally.
Wage: $17.00/hr
Cosimo's
"I felt like it would be a good first job."
This student works as a server at Cosimo's, a local Italian restaurant.
Enjoyment: Yes, totally
Wage: $15.50/hr + tips
Vineyard Vines
"I needed money to afford a life for myself."
This student folds clothes and helps customers at Vineyard Vines.
Enjoyment: Sometimes
Wage: $16.50/hr
Aeropostale
This student, who folds and cashiers at Aeropostale, "maybe" feels like they are being compensated fairly.
Enjoyment: Sometimes.
Wage: $15.50/hr
McDonald's
This student works the register at McDonald's. At $15.00/hr, they are paid 50 cents under New York minimum wage. They answered "maybe" to being fairly compensated. This location may be inaccurate as the student did not specify which McDonald's, and there are multiple in the nearby area.
Enjoyment: No, not at all.
Wage: $15.00/hr
Renzo Gracie MMA Academy
"It hard for me to keep up with homework and studying."
At $15.00/hr, this student is being paid under the minimum wage, and they do not believe they are being fairly compensated. At 9 hr/day, they are above the legal limit for workers of their age. They sign people up for the gym and teach martial arts for students.
Enjoyment: Yes, totally
Hours: 9 hrs/day
Breaks: 3 breaks/hr
Levi's
"Their [labor regulations] just goals to balance employee and manager."
At $17.50/hr, this is one of the highest paid students we polled. They are involved with cash management, cleaning, folding jeans, and customer service.
Age: 16
Wage: $17.50/hr
Breaks: 2 breaks/shift
Enjoyment: Sometimes
Gate Hill Day Camp
"I wanted to take care of kids."
This student is not paid anything for their work at Gate Hill Day Camp, a summer camp in Stony Point, New York. Though they enjoy what they do, they don't feel they are being fairly compensated.
Enjoyment: Yes, totally
Wage: $0/hr
Hours: 4-6 hrs/day
Breaks: 3 breaks/shift, 16-30 minutes in length
According to typist Ms. Rodriguez, 193 working cards have been distributed to students as of February 21. This working card, also known as an employment certificate or working papers, is required for every minor to legally work in New York.
“Honestly, I don’t have much of a social life anymore because I’m always either at work or doing school stuff,” said one 17-year-old student retail worker.
Many student workers demonstrated a lack of knowledge of the labor protections in place for them. Some had no idea that they were being paid under minimum wage. Other students understood, but worked under subpar conditions anyways.
In 2024, Governor Hochul established the Youth Worker Information Hub, a web page for young workers on their rights, alongside the Youth Workers Bill of Rights, a pamphlet of young workers’ rights distributed with each working paper, as an initiative to promote labor law education.
In a question on whether they witnessed any labor law violations at their job, one student answered, “I mean I get paid under minimum wage, so if that counts.”
Fair Wages
Of the 30 students, six reported being paid under minimum wage.
The minimum wage in New York outside of New York City, Long Island, and Westchester County is currently $15.50 per hour, unless you are a tipped worker.
In 2026, the New York minimum wage will increase to $16.00 per hour, from then on, it will follow any rises in inflation.
Notably, three students reported they were paid $15.00 per hour, the New York minimum wage prior to 2025.
Sub-minimum wage pay wasn’t the only abuse revealed–as a state with some of the strictest child labor laws, New York places restrictions on hours as well–though not every employer follows these laws.
According to New York State laws, minors aged 14 to 17 can legally work, at max, 8 hours a day, with further limits based on time of day and during school. There are additional exceptions made for certain jobs, like babysitting.
At least two students reported working nine hours in a day.
For one student, this isn’t a negative.
“I wish they did overwork me and give me more hours,” he said.
During the summer, many students reported working 40-hour weeks–close to that of an adult. And while not in violation of labor laws, the long work weeks take a toll.
“I feel like they expect us to be superhuman. It’s stressful, and they don’t really care if we’re overwhelmed,” said Marisa, a 17-year old student retail worker.
The majority of students cited money as the reason they worked.
“I make $17.50 an hour, which is decent, but with how stressful the job is, I feel like it should be more,” said Marisa.
Unpredictable Work Schedules
Many student workers have to deal with unpredictable work schedules where they can either barely get shifts, or they are overburdened by shifts. According to the students, when their shifts become extremely busy, their employers ignore breaks to handle the incoming customers.
In New York, employers are legally required to post a work schedule in their establishment for their employees who are minors. This makes employers keep track of their hours and keep them within legal limits.
“I work about 25 hours a week,” said 18-year-old Francisco, a student retail worker. “The hours can be brutal, especially on weekends, and sometimes my manager won’t even let us take a break.”
As an 18-year-old, Francisco is no longer protected under New York child labor laws. However, meal break laws apply to all workers.
Despite this, 63 percent of students reported that they enjoyed their jobs, including some students who were aware they were being paid under the minimum wage.
“I want to be a teacher in the future so I thought working with young kids and learning how to manage them would help with that in the future,” replied one student. “Sometimes I will work over 48 hours in a week, but I choose to because I enjoy working with the kids.”
Violations like these can result in the employers reaching fines within the thousands of dollars. With the first violation, it starts at a maximum of $1,000. If more violations occur, the maximum increases and reaches a limit of $3,000 for three or more incidents.
In some cases, wage theft may be prosecuted as larceny in New York, leading to criminal cases for employers in violation.
In 2024, New York investigated 645 child labor cases, the second highest number of cases from 2017 onwards, after 2023. $900,281 in penalties were assessed as part of investigations that year.
Both the state government and the federal government have seen an increase in child labor violations in recent years. However, these labor laws are difficult to enforce.
Governor Hochul has proposed digitizing working papers, raising penalties for child labor law violations, and expanding the Department of Labor’s authority to seize employer assets in wage theft cases in the 2026 executive budget as part of an initiative to increase enforcement.
Students can report a labor law violation in New York by filing a claim with the Labor Standards Complaint Form (LS223), by filling out a confidential report, or by calling the Task Force hotline at 1-888-469-7365. If federal laws were violated, students can file a confidential complaint with the federal government as well.
