June 12, 2024
TRENTON – The New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development (NJDOL) observed the World Day Against Child Labor on June 12, reaffirming its commitment to protecting children from unlawful, illegal, or hazardous working conditions. The Division of Wage and Hour Compliance enforces state child labor laws and regulations to provide young workers in the Garden State with safe work environments.
The NJDOL is reminding minors and their caregivers that they can access working papers at MyWorkingPapers.nj.gov. Minors who need working papers to start a job – and any employer who hires a worker under age 18 in New Jersey – must visit the site, register, and follow the prompts to complete the application online. The Department launched this online application for working papers last year.
Schools are no longer involved in the working paper process; however, minors, employers, and caregivers all play roles and will receive email notifications when it’s their turn to act. The minor and employer will be notified via email once the application has been approved or rejected.
"We stand with the world in speaking out against illegal child labor, and know that not all young workers are being protected. Our department will continue to pursue bad actors who exploit child labor here in New Jersey," said Labor Commissioner Robert Asaro-Angelo. "We are proud to collaborate with young workers and their caregivers to ensure they are working in safe, legal, and healthy environments. The changes that have come to our state's working papers process play an integral role in our mission to advocate for the protection and economic advancement of all Garden State workers – including the hard-working and capable younger members of our workforce."
"Representing food retailers and convenience stores in New Jersey, the membership of the New Jersey Food Council is a significant stakeholder employing today’s youth. The NJ Minor Working Papers Program is working effectively because it allows employers to fill jobs, appropriately staff operations and serve their customers while promoting a youth workforce with a skill set and opportunity to succeed,” said New Jersey Food Council President & CEO Linda Doherty.
To date, more than 111,300 minors have applied for working papers in New Jersey, with approximately 72,000 applications approved. Additionally, nearly 14,000 employers have registered in the updated system.
Here’s how the application works: Minors do not need to apply annually if their employer and job duties have not changed; however, a new application must be submitted if they change employers or job duties.
As part of its responsibility to serve and protect the state’s workforce, NJDOL has developed a suite of online information and services specifically for young workers. It contains information on resume writing skills, interviewing skills, child labor laws, wages, hours worked by minors permitted types of work.
