Teens in New Jersey who need working papers can use a new streamlined digital application that leaves schools out of the process.
Launching on June 1, the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development (NJDOL) said that minors in the state who need working papers to start a job – and any employer who hires a worker – can go to MyWorkingPapers.nj.gov.
Need for Change
This digitized, streamlined process was launched in accordance with A4222/S2796, a law Gov. Phil Murphy signed last year to enhance protections for the state’s youngest workers.
Although schools will no longer be involved, minors, employers, and caregivers all play a role and will receive email notifications when it’s their turn to take action. The minor and employer will receive an email letting them know the application has been approved or rejected, according to NJDOL.
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“This is a significant update in how minors acquire their working papers, which they need for employment in New Jersey,” Labor Commissioner Robert Asaro-Angelo said in a statement.
“It’s quicker, easier, and this new process gives NJDOL a welcome opportunity to reach minors and their caregivers about career and apprenticeship opportunities, and to make minors aware of their work rights when it matters most – when they start their first job.”
How it Works
Here’s how the new application works:
- Teenagers 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 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.
More information
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.
Anyone who needs working papers should visit NJDOL’s young worker hub to get the paper form.
For additional information, see MyWorkingPapers.nj.gov.
