NJ Labor Department Reminds Minors & Caregivers Working Papers are Online in Streamlined Process

June 12 is Recognized as World Day Against Child Labor 

TRENTON – The New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development (NJDOL) observes the World Day Against Child Labor on June 12th, reaffirming our commitment to protect children from unlawful, illegal, or hazardous working conditions. The Division of Wage and Hour Compliance enforces state child labor laws and regulations to provide the Garden State’s young workers with safe and secure work environments.

With that in mind, 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 and register, then follow the prompts to complete the working papers application online. The Department launched an easy-to-use, online application for working papers last year.

Schools are no longer involved in the working paper process, however minors, employers, and caregivers all play a role and will receive email notifications when it’s their turn to act. The minor and employer will receive an email letting them know 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, and approximately 72,000 applications have been approved. In addition, nearly 14,000 employers have registered in the updated system.

Here’s how the application works:

• Minors and their employers each go to MyWorkingPapers.nj.gov to get started.
• Employers receive a unique 8-digit code when they register, which they share with every minor they hire.
• The minor must have an offer of employment PRIOR to applying for working papers. The minor completes the online working papers application, entering their caregiver’s name and email address, and the employer’s 8-digit code, which links the application to a specific employer.
• Emails prompt the employer and caregiver to complete their portions of the application and sign off. Caregivers also will be asked to upload a copy of a birth certificate, passport, or other official document verifying the minor’s age.
• The minor begins working when their application is approved.

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, job title, or 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 and interviewing skills, child labor laws, and more. Information on wages, hours, and types of work permitted for minors can be found here.

For additional information, please visit MyWorkingPapers.nj.gov.

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