Summer Hires: Protecting Minors While Empowering Their Growth

Understanding the balance between safety, opportunity, and responsibility as working-age minors enter the summer workforce.

Many years ago in America, it was typical for minors (defined as children under the age of 18 years old) to work long hours, often skipping school, in dangerous and unsanitary working environments. In response to that toxic situation, child labor laws were passed in our Country. The purpose behind those laws, many still in place today, was and is to protect the emotional well-being, health, and safety of vulnerable minors and to ensure that adults are not illegally exploiting them and profiting from their labor.

In New Jersey, child labor laws have existed for many decades, all to protect the State’s vulnerable minors while also providing minors the opportunity to work outside of the house.

Some aspects of these child labor laws include: (In New Jersey and in most states)

• Limiting the amount of hours a minor can work;

• Defining times of the day and of the year in which a minor can work;

• Requiring mandatory break periods for minors;

• Listing prohibited and permitted jobs for minors;

• Stating jobs that mandate overtime pay for minors;

• Enforcing minimum wage requirements for minors;

• And requiring working authorization forms (“working papers”) as a condition of employment.

As schools close for the academic year and our working-age minors embark on summer break, both parents and children alike must know their rights and responsibilities when it comes to child labor laws. We must analyze these protective laws while keeping in mind the employers need to work with able-bodied and willing employees at a time when many in the workforce do not want to work!

A recent trend in child labor laws is to make the process less cumbersome for minors, parents and employers alike. Newer laws lessen or eliminate historically low “droughts” of seasonal workers which did or may cause such businesses (such as ice cream shops, beaches and pools) to close down. Some examples of legislative trends include: easier, digital processes to secure working papers for minors; increases in the hours in which minors can work during the summer months; and required break and rest periods for minors who choose to work.

Studies suggest that part-time and seasonal employment for minors benefits those minors beyond just earning extra pocket cash. These jobs cultivate essential skills for life (such as time management and responsibility); improve confidence and mental well-being; and contribute to financial literacy. In the advent of Memorial Day, as the days grow longer and the sun shines brighter, seasonal businesses will continue to protect our child workers. At the same time, employers will be able to remain open to provide much appreciated fun, entertainment, and amusement for all of us!