Day camp counselors are paid less than minimum wage, plus one question.

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  • #615588
    👑RebYidd23
    Participant

    Where can I buy citric acid?

    #1073973
    be joyful
    Participant

    they also get enjoy themselves on all the trips the camp goes to.

    i.e. they don’t only look at the job & take it as a JOB they have in mind & hope to still enjoy their summer

    #1073974
    cherrybim
    Participant

    Get Sour Salt (citric acid) in the spices section.

    Minimum wage? Supplement with NYC Summer Youth Program funding via Torah Umesora.

    #1073975
    catch yourself
    Participant

    Technically, many (all?) of the frum day camps and overnight camps do not comply with the law on wages, and could get in serious trouble if anyone ever filed suit. So I’ve been told by a friend who is an attorney specializing in labor law.

    #1073976
    be joyful
    Participant

    they don’t get paid on an hourly wage but one flat payment for the entire month plus tips if their lucky.

    I was a counselor only for 1 year due to the fact that I wasn’t doing it to enjoy myself but was doing it for the money. THEREFORE the next year I got myself a job in a store and made the month counselor pay in 2 days of store work

    #1073977
    SayIDidIt™
    Participant

    Minimum wage? Supplement with NYC Summer Youth Program funding via Torah Umesora.

    Youth Corp has been dramatically cut down. A lot harder to get on then it used to be.

    SiDi™

    #1073978
    64bitsomething
    Participant

    Technically no, you signed a contract for a flat fee. You are not getting paid by the hour.

    And as much as we I got paid more, sleep-away camps pay even less because they cheshban you’re getting room/board also.

    #1073979
    👑RebYidd23
    Participant

    So the preschool counselors are supposed to enjoy the activities?

    #1073980
    Ex-CTLawyer
    Participant

    Camp Counselors in NY and Connecticut are generally not covered by the minimum wage laws. Laws do vary by state. In Connecticut, counselors at camps that operate less than 6 months per year are not considered employees and are not covered by the law.

    NY Law specifically exempts camp counselors.

    For laws from assorted states see: http://www.acacamps.org/sites/default/files/images/publicpolicy/regulations/print.pdf

    #1073981
    catch yourself
    Participant

    According to my friend, flat salary contracts are required to meet minimum wage standards when divided by the number of hours of labor.

    Additionally, room and board or other amenities are not valued highly by labor courts in most cases (specifically, you can only count their actual value, not what you charge campers – and actual value is difficult to prove). Finally, even signing a contract does not waive your rights as far as wages.

    I don’t claim any expertise personally, I am just quoting an expert in the field.

    #1073982
    commonsense
    Participant

    There are more kids who want to be counselors than there are positions. I know of parents who paid the camp to pay their children so their children could have a job. The ones who actually get paid are happy to have the jobs. Also most of the kids being counselors earn no money most of the year and are quite excited when they actually get paid something.

    #1073983
    Joseph
    Participant

    Waiters are legally paid less than minimum wage since they get tips. Counselors are the same in they get tips.

    #1073984
    cherrybim
    Participant

    NYC Summer Youth Program – the vast majority of applicants are selected.

    #1073985
    catch yourself
    Participant

    Thanks for the edification, CTLawyer.

    #1073986
    👑RebYidd23
    Participant

    Most of the counselors I know are poor kids who do it for the money. And they get very little in tips.

    #1073987
    Joseph
    Participant

    The counselors should unionize and go on strike.

    #1073988
    Ex-CTLawyer
    Participant

    @Joseph………..

    Unfortunately you do not know the law and make untrue comparisons.

    Waiters are subject to minimum wage laws, however in many states (including NY and CT) tipped servers are allowed to be paid a percentage of the state minimum wage by their employer. The servers are required to report their tips to the employer each shift. In any week where the wage paid by the employer and tips received don’t add up to the full minimum wage the employer MUST pay the difference.

    For example, there is heavy rain for 4 of the 5 days the server works and business is so slow that the reduced percentage wage paid by the employer and tips received/reported only equal $6.50/hr. The employer must pay the difference to bring the paycheck to full minimum wage.

    Counselors are exempt from minimum wage law by statute, they do not get a reduced minimum wage.

    #1073989
    catch yourself
    Participant

    Is it only counselors? What about all the other staff in camp, like waiters, activity staff, lifeguards, camp driver, etc?

    #1073990
    Ex-CTLawyer
    Participant

    @catch yourself

    Follow the link in my firs reply for all states information.

    Connecticut exempts all camp employees.

    NY specifically exempts counselors, BUT the exemption paragraph includes both clergy and ‘various employees of religious and charitable institutions’

    Based on that verbiage a non-profit or religious institution operated camp could probably pay less than minimum wage to almost all seasonal employees. Whereas a day camp operated by a for profit hotel or bungalow colony would have to pay minimum wage to non counselors.

    Disclaimer: I am not giving legal advice. I am merely citing the law as listed in the earlier link compiled by the American Camping Association. I attended and graduated law school in the State of Massachusetts and passed the Connecticut Bar. I do not practice in NY State.

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