Effective this summer, 16- and 17-year-olds can work up to 50 hours per week during the summer under a recently signed law by Governor Murphy. A-4222/S-2796, sponsored by Assemblyman Roy Freiman (D-16) and Senator Vin Gopal (D-11) allows teens to work ten hour shifts instead of eight.
The expansion of work hours gives teens an opportunity to earn more money and helps employers cope with a labor shortage that has led to increased wait times for customers at seasonal businesses. NFIB supported this legislation.
The law also requires the state to create a central database where teenagers and employers can register online for work, instead of continuing to use the cumbersome paper employment certificates that must be issued by schools every time a student is employed. Updating the antiquated working paper process will not be implemented until a year from now to give the Department of Labor and Workforce Development time to establish the new system.
The law effectively makes permanent the temporary teen work hours change that was implemented for the summer of 2021.
