Get your first job in Hunterdon County
Where teens get hired around the county, how working papers work, the hour limits by age, and which jobs are off the table. Written for teens and the parents helping them.
Always worth checking
- Hunterdon County's own jobs board (Parks & Recreation)
Every county opening posts here. Lifeguard and camp-counselor listings tend to go up in spring; check back closer to summer.
- NJ State Park Service seasonal jobs
Round Valley and Spruce Run, both in Hunterdon County, hire lifeguards every year: junior lifeguard starts at 15, lifeguard and most other seasonal roles at 16.
- ShopRite careers
Hunterdon's ShopRite stores in Flemington and Clinton regularly post cashier, bagger, and courtesy clerk roles, the exact jobs New Jersey allows at 15.
How working papers work
Everyone under 18 needs the state's OK before starting a job in New Jersey. It's called working papers, it's free, and the whole thing happens online at MyWorkingPapers.nj.gov. Three people each do a short step: the teen, the employer, and a parent.
- Get the job offer first. The state won't take an application without one.
- The employer signs up at MyWorkingPapers.nj.gov and gets an 8-digit code. Ask for the code when the job is offered.
- The teen makes an account and applies, using the employer's code and a parent's name and email.
- The employer confirms the job details by email.
- The parent makes an account, uploads one proof of age (a birth certificate, driver's license, learner's permit, or passport all work), and approves.
- If the parent doesn't act within 14 days, the state approves the application on its own.
- Once it says approved, the teen can start work.
One application per employer: a new job means a new application, but staying in the same job doesn't need a yearly renewal. Papers issued under the old paper system still count if the employer and duties haven't changed. There's no fee at any step.
Where this comes from: the NJ Department of Labor's get started, steps, and FAQ pages.
Who needs papers, and at what age
Most first jobs (stores, restaurants, camps) start at age 14 in New Jersey. Under 14, the law only allows a few things: farm work at 12, newspaper delivery at 11, volunteering at a community recycling center at 12, and theater work with a special permit. Babysitting and mowing a neighbor's lawn don't count as employment, so no papers are needed for those. Everyone under 18 needs approved papers before their first shift, no matter the job.
Hour limits by age
The short version: 14- and 15-year-olds get tight school-week limits and an early curfew. 16- and 17-year-olds can work close to adult hours. Summer means the last day of school through Labor Day.
| Age | School year | Summer (last day of school to Labor Day) |
|---|---|---|
| 14–15 | Up to 18 hrs/week, up to 3 hrs on a school day, up to 8 hrs on Sat/Sun. Not before 7am or after 7pm. | Up to 40 hrs/week, up to 8 hrs/day. Not before 7am or after 9pm, with a parent's written OK. |
| 16–17 | Up to 40 hrs/week, up to 8 hrs/day. Not before 6am or after 11pm. | Up to 50 hrs/week, up to 10 hrs/day. Not before 6am or after 11pm; restaurant and seasonal-amusement shifts that start before 11pm can run later, never past 3am or before 6am the night before school. |
At every age: never more than 6 days in a row, and a 30-minute break is required after 5 straight hours. 12- and 13-year-olds can only work in the narrow categories above, with the same limits as the 14–15 row.
Where this comes from: New Jersey's child labor law, N.J.S.A. 34:2-21.3 and 34:2-21.4, cross-checked against the state's young-workers page.
What's off-limits
The state bans minors from dangerous work. Most of the banned list is heavy machinery a first job never goes near. The parts worth knowing:
- Under 16: no power-driven machinery of any kind, including power mowers and power tools, plus conveyor belts.
- Under 18: no construction work, farm machines, junk and scrap yards, mining, explosives or highly flammable materials, pesticide spraying, elevator work, meat-processing machines, serving or handling alcohol, working a bar area, or carrying payroll off-site.
- Two useful exceptions: a 15-year-old can run a cash register or bag groceries next to one, and a 14-year-old can caddy or work as a pool attendant.
Where this comes from: N.J.S.A. 34:2-21.17 and the state's child labor rules (N.J.A.C. 12:58, subchapters 3–4).
For parents
Everything above is pulled straight from the state's own working papers pages and the actual New Jersey statute. It's free to read, and nothing here is gated behind an email address. The subscribe box below is only for people who also want Thursday's newsletter.
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