Starting immediately, New Jersey teenagers may work more hours and later at night under a bill signed into law by Gov. Phil Murphy.
The law expands the hours 16- and 17-year-olds (up to when they turn 18) can work from 40 to 50 and the hours 14- and 15-year-olds can work to 40 during summer vacations when not in school.
It makes permanent the temporary COVID-era provision that allowed teens to work longer hours in the summer, but also adds new provisions, including one that allows 14- and 15-year-olds to be hired to work 8-hour shifts on holidays while school is in session, and without input from their schools. It also increases the hours from five to six before a teen must be given a 30-minute break.
The law removes authority from schools to issue working papers and gives this authority to the Department of Labor, which will create a centralized database to register employers and minors. This portion of the law will take effect in June 2023.
Coming during a critical labor shortage in the state, the bill, which was criticized by parent advocates and labor experts, was signed into law by Murphy on Tuesday after quickly clearing through the Legislature in less than a month.
An earlier version of the bill only gave parents the option to opt-out of having their children work expanded hours during summer break.
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