Mass. bill would create $10 youth training wage for first 120 hours for under‑18 workers

A bill filed Jan. 15 in the Massachusetts House would amend Section 1 of Chapter 151 of the Massachusetts General Laws to exclude certain workers under 18 from that section for a 120‑hour training period and require employers to pay at least $10 an hour during that time.

The bill, House No. 2175, would apply to workers under 18 who work 20 hours or less per week and who require a work permit; the exemption would cover the first 120 hours of employment with a new employer and refer to that period as a “training period.” The text specifies that workers in the training period “shall be subject to a minimum wage no less than $10 per hour.”

The measure was presented by Representative Michael J. Soter of Bellingham and Representative Bradley H. Jones Jr. of North Reading and lists additional petitioners: Representative Joseph D. McKenna (18th Worcester), Representative Marcus S. Vaughn (9th Norfolk) and Representative Estela A. Reyes (4th Essex). The bill was filed with the House and referred to the Joint Committee on Labor and Workforce Development, as noted on the filing.

The filing also notes similar matter from the prior session: House No. 1953 of 2023–2024. House No. 2175 is an introduced bill; it does not, by filing alone, change law. Any change would require committee review, votes in the House and Senate and the governor’s signature.

Key provisions from the bill text: - Applicability: workers under age 18 who work 20 hours or less per week and require a work permit. - Training period: the first 120 hours of employment with a new employer. - Wage floor during training: not less than $10 per hour.

There is no vote or committee action recorded in the filing; the bill is at the introduction stage and awaits committee consideration, possible hearings and subsequent legislative action.