Why are camp jobs allowed to pay under minimum wage? Is that money taxed?
I am being offered $1,800 to work as Group Leader at a camp for 8 weeks from 8:30am to 5pm Monday through Friday. Minimum wage in New York is $7.15. Which would mean for this amount of time my pay should be over $2,000. Why are camps allowed to pay so low? After i got the 1,800 would it still be taxed?
Does this sound like a fair deal to you?
I am 18 years old
It is because the classification of “camp counselor” usually means that you live at the camp with the kids. In that case, the owner would have to pay you for 24 hours per day because you are always with the kids. If a child throws up at 2am, the counselor has to clean it up and get the kid back in bed or to the nurse.
So the legislature made an exemption. Partly that was because a counselor receives room and board as part of his compensation.
Your situation should not be exempt because you are not getting free food and a bed. Unless you are getting free lunches.