New Jersey makes it easier for kids to get jobs this summer

🔴 Kids under 18 need working papers in New Jersey

🔴 The process is easy now with a fairly new online process

🔴 It only takes minutes to get the papers, state labor officials say

Are your kids looking for a job this summer?

Well, if they are, make sure they have their working papers.

In New Jersey, all minors under the age of 18 must have working papers. The good news is that the State Department of Labor and Workforce Development has made it so much easier to complete working papers, so it’s not a hassle for the parents, the minor, and the employers.

It used to be that the minor had to first get all the paperwork from their high school. Then bring the papers to the employer to fill out and sign, then have the parents sign the papers, and lastly, have their family doctor fill out a portion and sign it too to show that the teen is physically able to do the job.

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The old system was not only a huge burden for parents and employers, but also for local school staff.

“Taking this off their plate of having to deal with hundreds of hours of paperwork, which now can be done all online in one place at the Department of Labor website at myworkingpapers.nj.gov, makes the process smoother for everybody,” said State Labor Commissioner Robert Asaro-Angelo.

This is the third summer using a new process, a one-stop coordinated and consolidated online site for all working paper needs for minors, employers, and parents, Asaro-Angelo said.

“Now, we have it all in one spot online. And quite frankly, if the employer is ready and you are ready, you can get this process done in a matter of minutes,” Asaro-Angelo said.

The new online working papers process went into effect in 2023. Since then, Asaro-Angelo said, there have been more than 164,000 applications received, and about 17,000 employers registered.

“Quite frankly, with all the things we’ve done at the Department of Labor in my time here, this is the one we really get high marks on from everybody involved, from parents to employers, especially, this is a big burden lift for them, as well,” Asaro-Angelo said.

All employers need to do is give the minor a working papers link based on a posting that the employer makes on the website. Once the minor signs up and registers, the posting goes in, and an email gets generated to the minor’s guardian. Once that happens, it’s done.

“There’s no going back and forth, no paperwork, nothing,” he added.

The New Jersey Department of Labor is vetting the whole process on their end in a very efficient manner, as well. Most of the time, these papers are processed within minutes.

“There’s also resources for youth. We are very focused on youth employment safety and worker rights. A young employee has the same rights as an older employee. We want to make sure that kids who are going to work for the first time have a positive experience,” Asaro-Angelo said.

When filling out working papers, keep in mind there are hour restrictions based on a minor’s age.

Kids 14 and 15 years old can only work between 7 a.m. and 9 p.m. daily. They cannot work more than 8 hours a day, 40 hours a week, or more than six consecutive days.

At age 16 and 17, kids can work between 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily. They cannot work more than 10 hours a day, 50 hours a week, or more than six consecutive days.

Popular places for minors to work in New Jersey this summer include boardwalks, amusement parks, beaches, fast food restaurants, supermarkets, movie theaters, and camps.

Happy job hunting in New Jersey this summer.

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