A question about minimum wage... Am I being cheated?

So, I'm going to be working at a camp in NYC this summer. My contract says I'm supposed to be paid 6.25 an hour. However, minimum wage in NY is 6.75 an hour. I called my work and asked, and the lady said she talked to the boss and he said that, yes, NY minimum wage is 6.75, but since this is only a seasonal position, they don't have to pay me that. Also, he said that if I come back next year, since I'll be out of high school, I can get more. I'm 18 right now, and will be graduating in a few weeks,BEFORE I start my job, so I don't understand how that makes any sense.
Now, I love this camp and I love working there, so it's not like I'm not going to work this summer because of this, but I just wanted to make sure that I'm not getting ripped off. Thanks.

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I agree with wonderwaiter-

I'm pretty sure if it's seasonal, they are allowed to pay below minumum wage but most pay at least minimum wage to stay competitive.

If you enjoy it, go do it. Would you rather work everyday and hate your job and get paid a bit more or would you rather like your job and get paid a little less??

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Thanks.

I'm definitely going to work there, there's no question about that. I just wanted to make sure I wasn't getting cheated, because I don't like that feeling. Also, I need to make as much as I can this summer. College is expensive...

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I don't know, actually, cheezedoodle. The other people I've talked to who work there have all been there for longer than I have, so they get paid more. That's another thing. I'm supposed to be getting an extra 25 or 50 cents (I think it's 50) an hour because it's my second year as a full counselor there. Also, I'm a swim specialist, and we get more. I mean, I'm definitely getting more than I got last year, but last year I wasn't getting paid enough either, and I couldn't do anything about it because I'd already signed my contract. I've talked to my supervisor, and she thinks I'm not getting paid enough, but I don't think my boss would lie.

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This can also work to your advantage as well. When I was seasonal, not only did they not have to pay minimum wage, they also did not have to pay overtime. Since they didn't have to pay overtime, they didn't really care how many hours an individual employee worked. The work wasn't exactly grueling and all of my friends were there anyway, so I pulled double shifts most every day of the week. At 17, with no living expenses, I was pulling in about $350 a week (in the early 90s). I don't know how applicable that is to your situation, but it's something to look into.

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