Labor & Employment (Child Labor)

This New Jersey bill creates a tax credit program for businesses that hire workers under the age of 18. The measure is designed to help employers offset increased costs associated with recent minimum wage laws by reimbursing them for the difference between current required wages and what was previously paid. Eligible companies can apply for these credits against their state business or income taxes for tax years before January 1, 2032, and 2034. The amount of the credit is calculated based on the specific wage increases mandated by law compared to prior payments for those young employees.

This bill would have exempted minors under 16 from standard child labor restrictions when working as vloggers - defined as creating video content featuring minors for compensation on online platforms - provided they work under a caregiver or family member's supervision. It would have required caregivers to provide compensation for this work, as specified in pending sections of the bill. The exemption applied only to minors working as part of a family vlogging operation, not to minors creating their own vlogs. The bill was introduced in 2026 but withdrawn after being incorporated into another law (P.L.2025, c.355).

This bill (A4413) expands an existing exemption from New Jersey's minimum wage and overtime pay requirements for summer camp workers. It specifically adds two groups to the exemption: employees under age 22 enrolled in school (high school, college, or vocational training) working at private summer camps, and all employees at "resident summer camps" (overnight camps) for overtime pay during June, July, August, and September. Currently, only nonprofit/religious camps were exempt; this bill extends the exemption to these new categories while keeping the existing exemption for nonprofit/religious camps intact. The exemption applies only to the summer months and does not affect minimum wage requirements for these workers.

This bill would allow minors aged 14-15 to work until 11 p.m. instead of 9 p.m. during summer months, specifically from Memorial Day through October 1 each year, in certain retail or food service jobs (like restaurants or supermarkets) with written parental permission. It directly affects young workers in these seasonal positions who currently have a 9 p.m. curfew during the same period. The change only extends evening hours; it does not alter total weekly work limits, prohibited occupations, or break requirements for minors. Parental permission remains required, and the bill preserves existing restrictions on work for minors under 16 during school sessions.

This bill (S 108) allows minors aged 14-15 to work until 11 p.m. instead of 9 p.m. during the summer period from Memorial Day through October 1, with written permission from a parent or guardian. It specifically applies to retail settings like restaurants and supermarkets, as well as roles like little league umpires. The bill does not change total weekly work hours, prohibited occupations, or required rest periods for minors. Current law already permits 14-15-year-olds to work until 9 p.m. during this timeframe, so this amendment extends the evening window by two hours. It affects minor workers in seasonal retail and service jobs during summer months, with no broader policy changes to labor regulations.