What is the minimum age to work as a youth sports referee in New Hampshire?

12 under state law (under 12 only parents/grandparents, casual work, newspaper); federal 14 governs for covered employers Casual work, parents/grandparents, farm, newspaper exempt; camp employment exception during summer vacation; no referee carve-out. State law keys on 'employ/permit to work' - no 1099 carve-out; misclassifying minor officials as contractors does not avoid child-labor rules.

When is a final paycheck due in New Hampshire if you let someone go?

Within 72 hours Liquidated damages up to 2x (RSA 275:44). PTO per policy.

How does New Hampshire decide whether a coach or referee is a 1099 contractor or an employee?

Statutory 7-factor (RSA 275:42 III)

Does a youth sports league in New Hampshire need workers' compensation for 1099 referees and coaches?

New Hampshire requires coverage from the first employee and independent contractors are not covered. RSA 281-A:2 VI(b) creates a rebuttable presumption that anyone performing services is an employee unless the worker meets all seven statutory criteria: has or applied for an EIN or SSN, is controlled only as to result rather than means, controls when the work is performed, hires and pays any assistants, holds themself out as in business, is responsible for satisfactory completion, and is not required to work exclusively for the employer. Failing any one factor makes the worker an employee, and a 1099 or signed IC agreement is not enough. There is no IC exemption certificate; sole proprietors and partners are outside the act unless they elect coverage. The statutory employer rule in RSA 281-A:18 makes a contractor liable for compensation to an uninsured subcontractor's employees. No express sports-official exclusion exists for WC in RSA 281-A or for UI in RSA 282-A (the UI definition uses its own seven-factor test). Bottom line: a youth league paying 1099 referees and coaches is at risk; league-assigned game times and exclusivity expectations commonly defeat factors (C) and (G), so most paid officials and coaches would be employees unless the league can document all seven factors.

For youth sports organizations and event operators · New Hampshire rulebook

Youth sports labor rules in New Hampshire: who can you put in the game, and what do you owe them?

State rules for everyone a youth sports organization pays: coaches and trainers on payroll, officials and event staff on 1099, program and front-office staff, and the teenagers you hire for a season. Wages, final pay, minors, contractor status, workers' comp, safe sport and youth safety, 50 states + DC, checked against statute text.

Last reviewed Oct 1, 202651 jurisdictions · 32 rules each

Step 1

Pick the state where the work happens

Rules follow where people work, not where you are based. Running an event? Use the event state. Operating a club or league? Use the state where your staff coach, officiate and work.

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Set a role, age and pay type below to see which rules apply to your organization.

Step 2

Check a staffing plan

Tell us who you are paying, how old they are, and whether they are on payroll or 1099. We rank what applies.

State where the work happens

Role

Worker age

Paid as

Not sure if someone should be 1099 or on payroll?Answer 5 plain-English questions. We explain the sticking points in your state.5-question check

Tourney Direct does not decide classification. Confirm with a tax advisor or attorney before you onboard anyone as a contractor.

Step 3

Everything on file for New Hampshire

All 32 rules for this state, with the statutes and agency pages they came from.

Wages and pay
Minimum wage (2026): $7.25 (federal; no state rate)
Required pay frequency: Weekly or bi-weekly (semi-monthly w/ NHDOL permission)
Final paycheck if you let them go: Within 72 hours
Final paycheck if they quit: Next regular payday (within 72 hrs if ≥1 pay period notice)
Final-pay penalties: Liquidated damages up to 2x (RSA 275:44). PTO per policy.
State income tax withholding: No
Workers' comp required at: 1+
New-hire report due (days): 20
Minors
Minimum working age: 12 under state law (under 12 only parents/grandparents, casual work, newspaper); federal 14 governs for covered employers
Work permit: Yes, under 16 (Youth Employment Certificate issued by school within 3 business days of hire); 16-17 need signed Parental Permission form (NH DOL) unless HS grad/GED
Ages 14 to 15, school in session: 3 hrs/school day, 23 hrs/school wk (state); 7am-9pm - FLSA 18/wk, 7pm stricter
Ages 14 to 15, summer and breaks: 8 hrs/day, 48 hrs/wk during vacations (state); FLSA 8/40, 9pm summer governs
Ages 16 to 17: If enrolled: 35 hrs/wk when school in session (HB 1420, 2022); 48 hrs/wk, 6 consecutive days during vacations; no night curfew
Weekend and evening games: 16-17 school-week cap 35 hrs includes weekend shifts; no curfew; summer camp employment exempt from some hour rules
Referee, coach and recreation exemptions: Casual work, parents/grandparents, farm, newspaper exempt; camp employment exception during summer vacation; no referee carve-out. State law keys on 'employ/permit to work' - no 1099 carve-out; misclassifying minor officials as contractors does not avoid child-labor rules.
Contractors and leave
How this state decides 1099 vs. payroll: Statutory 7-factor (RSA 275:42 III)
Same question, for unemployment insurance: Statutory 7-factor (RSA 282-A:9 III; ABC-like)
Referee-specific rule: None found (no officials-specific statute; general tests apply) (RSA 631:4-b assault law)
Workers' comp for 1099 referees and coaches: New Hampshire requires coverage from the first employee and independent contractors are not covered. RSA 281-A:2 VI(b) creates a rebuttable presumption that anyone performing services is an employee unless the worker meets all seven statutory criteria: has or applied for an EIN or SSN, is controlled only as to result rather than means, controls when the work is performed, hires and pays any assistants, holds themself out as in business, is responsible for satisfactory completion, and is not required to work exclusively for the employer. Failing any one factor makes the worker an employee, and a 1099 or signed IC agreement is not enough. There is no IC exemption certificate; sole proprietors and partners are outside the act unless they elect coverage. The statutory employer rule in RSA 281-A:18 makes a contractor liable for compensation to an uninsured subcontractor's employees. No express sports-official exclusion exists for WC in RSA 281-A or for UI in RSA 282-A (the UI definition uses its own seven-factor test). Bottom line: a youth league paying 1099 referees and coaches is at risk; league-assigned game times and exclusivity expectations commonly defeat factors (C) and (G), so most paid officials and coaches would be employees unless the league can document all seven factors.
Seasonal or recreation carve-out: RSA 279:21 I exempts employees of summer camps for minors from state MW; RSA 279:21 VIII(a) exempts from state OT employees of amusement, seasonal, or recreational establishments meeting the 7-month or 33-1/3% receipts test, and VIII(b) defers to FLSA for FLSA-covered employers.
Paid sick leave: No
Paid family and medical leave: Voluntary (NH Paid Family & Medical Leave Plan via MetLife; opt-in)
What it costs to get it wrong: RSA 275:42: civil penalty up to $2,500 per misclassification
Safety
Background checks: Yes: RSA 170-E:55/:56 'youth skill camp' = any nonprofit or for-profit program of 8+ hours/year 'for the purpose of teaching a skill to minors,' expressly including sports; operator must obtain criminal record checks on owners, employees and volunteers who may be alone with a child (no convictions for injury/harm to a person or child), certify to DHHS ($25 fee); a check by another entity within 12 months may be reused. No league carve-out, so youth sports leagues/clinics meeting the 8-hour threshold are covered.
Safe sport: state law: No state safe-sport statute for private youth leagues; federal SafeSport Act baseline and NGB rules apply. New Hampshire's only youth-sports-specific regime is the youth skill camp law, RSA 170-E:55 and :56 with He-C 4004 rules, which covers for-profit and nonprofit sports programs of eight or more hours a year. Beyond the criminal record checks already recorded (see background_check_youth_sports), He-C 4004.04 requires operators to adopt a written background-check policy, review it annually, vet references and employment or volunteer history, and keep a current staff roster available to DHHS; it does not require abuse-prevention training, two-adult or electronic-communication rules, or a parent information sheet. No New Hampshire statute references the SafeSport Code. Coach-specific criminal exposure comes from RSA 632-A:2 I(k) and (n), which treat a person in a position of authority over a 13 to 17 year old (coaches included) as committing aggravated felonious sexual assault, and from RSA 631:7 student hazing, which applies to school and college organizations only. All persons are mandated reporters under RSA 169-C:29. No pending safe-sport bill identified for 2026. Cross-reference: coach_certification (none).
Safe sport: federal SafeSport Act and NGB rules: Nationally, the Safe Sport Act (36 U.S.C. 220541-220543, 220530; Pub. L. 115-126 as amended by Pub. L. 116-189, 2020) requires NGBs and amateur sports organizations in interstate or international competition to report suspected child abuse within 24 hours (34 U.S.C. 20341), limit one-on-one adult-minor contact (MAAPP), give SafeSport Core training and keep oversight procedures; the 2026 SafeSport Code applies. New Hampshire layers on the youth skill camp registration and checks for any NGB club running eight-plus hours of instruction a year, and the universal RSA 169-C:29 duty to report to DCYF immediately, which is stricter than the federal 24-hour window. The NHIAA does not mandate SafeSport for school coaches.
Concussion law: RSA 200:49-:52 (2012), school only (school districts & SAUs); RTP clearance by health-care provider.
Sudden cardiac arrest law: Yes (school), RSA 200:40-c (HB 763, 2023?): CPR-trained supervisor + AED at school athletic venues. Youth leagues not covered.
CPR and AED: School athletics: CPR-trained person present; AED at venues (RSA 200:40-c). None for youth leagues.
Coaches as mandated reporters: All persons: RSA 169-C:29.
Coach certification: None.
Assault-on-official law: Yes: RSA 631:4-b (harm or threats to sports officials, 2013?).

All states

Rulebook by state

New Hampshire at a glance: minimum wage $7.25 (federal; no state rate). Final paycheck when you let someone go: Within 72 hours. Minimum working age: 12 under state law (under 12 only parents/grandparents, casual work, newspaper); federal 14 governs for covered employers. Background checks for youth sports: Yes: RSA 170-E:55/:56 'youth skill camp' = any nonprofit or for-profit program of 8+ hours/year 'for the purpose of teaching a skill to minors,' expressly including sports; operator must obtain criminal record checks on owners, employees and volunteers who may be alone with a child (no convictions for injury/harm to a person or child), certify to DHHS ($25 fee); a check by another entity within 12 months may be reused. No league carve-out, so youth sports leagues/clinics meeting the 8-hour threshold are covered.