Some Nebraska teenagers could receive a lower minimum wage next year under a proposed measure that would create a new class defined as “young student workers"—high schoolers younger than 18 who would continue to earn $8 an hour in 2016 when the standard minimum increases to $9.
The bill, backed by the Nebraska Grocery Industry Association, has been touted as a way for small-town grocery stores to provide part-time jobs for local students without going out of business.
But the bill’s opponents say the measure is bad policy for communities where high school jobs are essential for students living below the poverty level and could lead to more students dropping out of school.
