NJ Minors to Get Working Papers Online Starting June 1 at MyWorkingPapers.NJ.Gov

May 18, 2023

TRENTON – The New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development (NJDOL) today announced a new online application for teenagers who need working papers – at MyWorkingPapers.nj.gov – launching June 1.

Minors who need working papers to start a job – and any employer who hires a worker under age 18 in New Jersey – will visit the site and register, following the prompts to complete the working papers application online. NJDOL will administer this digitized, streamlined process in accordance with A4222/S2796, a law Gov. Murphy signed last year to enhance protections for the state’s young workers.

Schools will no longer be involved, but 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.

“This is a significant update in how minors acquire their working papers, which they need for employment in New Jersey,” said Labor Commissioner Robert Asaro-Angelo. “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.”

Here’s how the new application works:

1. Teenagers and their employers each go to MyWorkingPapers.nj.gov to get started.
2. Employers receive a unique 8-digit code when they register, which they share with every minor they hire.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. The minor begins working when their application is approved.

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 before June 1 should visit NJDOL’s young worker hub to get the paper form.

The Chamber of Commerce of Southern New Jersey, in collaboration with several other business organizations, will host an informational webinar on this subject on Wednesday, May 24 at 2:00pm.  Click here for details and to register.

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